What to Do After an Accident in Wyoming

That bruise on your back may be the sign of a back injury or, even worse, a spinal cord injury and the symptoms may not become apparent right away.

An accident can change your life in the blink of an eye. One minute you’re perfectly fine and taking care of your business and the next you find yourself on the road to the nearest hospital. If you are involved in a serious accident that leaves you with severe injuries you will be in too much pain and too confused to think straight. This is why you need to be prepared and know exactly what to do after an accident in Wyoming. Car accidents account for the greater part of all personal injury claims, but Wyoming accident lawyers also deal with medical malpractice, product liability, nursing home abuse or premises liability cases. Some of the tips below refer strictly to motor vehicle accidents, but some of them apply to any type of accident caused by someone’s negligence which resulted in serious injuries. 

Call 911

If you or other people were injured in a car accident, you need to call 911. First of all, you want paramedics on the scene, but you also must make sure to get the police there. You will need the police report when you sit down with an accident lawyer in Cheyenne, WY.

See a doctor

This is a must no matter what type of accident you were involved in. Even if you’re not in serious pain at the moment and think you’ll be fine with a bit of rest, you need to see a doctor and have your injuries documented. That bruise on your back may be the sign of a back injury or, even worse, a spinal cord injury and the symptoms may not become apparent right away. If you cannot prove you were hurt in the accident, a well-versed insurance adjuster may later claim you had a preexisting medical problem and you’re trying to get medical treatment at their expense.

Don’t talk to the insurance company alone

After the accident, you may get a call from the insurance company representing the party at fault. They’re not calling you to offer help, no matter how sympathetic they may seem. The aim of that call is to find out everything they can about the accident, especially things they may use against you. Don’t go into any details. If they ask you for a recorded statement, tell them you’ll get back to them once you’ve spoken to your accident lawyer. Or, better yet, tell them your lawyer will be in touch. This will let them know you have legal representation and they’d better not try any tricks to minimize the value of your claim.

Don’t accept a quick settlement

When they know you have serious injuries and there’s going to be a lot of damages to pay, insurance adjusters may try to bully you into accepting a quick settlement. You need to understand that the first offer they make you is going to be a low one, far below what you truly deserve. They’re betting on your confusion and your financial worries. In many cases, this strategy works. Desperate people will take any money they can get. Once they make you an offer, call your lawyer and let them do the math. Your lawyer will calculate the value of the compensatory damages you are entitled to and tell you whether it’s a good deal or not.