Car accidents can be a bane of existence, especially if it results in serious injury to you, your loved one, or even the other party. Car accidents usually result in severe damages. These include hefty medical bills, property damages, income loss financial penalties, and much more. These incidences can be further complicated, if you are fault like not yielding, or hitting a pedestrian by mistake. If you have been injured or facing stiff penalties in such cases, be sure to call a local Boise Idaho auto accident lawyer. Following are 3 actions to take immediately after the accident to ensure legal compliance.
Filing a Police Report
Once you have recovered from the initial shock, be sure to call the police immediately. this is an important procedure especially if you have hit a pedestrian or even in motor accidents. Idaho laws penalizes leaving the scene without calling the police, or leaving pedestrian unattended especially. In case of pedestrians, you are legally obliged to call the police, and offer to call legal and medical assistance.
Investigate
Idaho operates on the principle of no-fault insurance coverage. This means unless you are at no fault, which is a rare occurrence, you will be competing with the other party for settlement claims. The compensation in such cases is decided by comparative negligence. For example, if you have incurred damages worth $100,000, and the jury assess that you were at 40% fault, you will receive $60,000 in damages. Hence, investigating the accident scene is paramount for your future safety. Be sure to take photographs of the site, collect video footage through your attorney, note stop signs, and other traffic devices, and get a copy of the police report immediately.
Free Consultation
Many established attorneys offer free consultation to discuss your case. These consultations can be quite useful. For example, if you know the other driver was speeding, but do not know if these charges can be proven without handy evidence like video footage, you can discuss this with your lawyer. Such questions can tell you about preparedness, expertise, and honesty of your lawyer. You can also speak to the lawyer about his or her fees. For example, many established lawyers charge a commission as part of their fees in accident case. Hence, hiring a lawyer may not be the best approach if the incident was minor. However, in most cases with serious injuries like brain injury, neck injury, and with subsequent loss of income, you need to hire a specialized attorney to claim settlement.
