DOs and DON'Ts After a Car Accident
During Pandemics
What to do in a car accident
If your car accident resulted in a severe injury, call us at 702-432-1000 to discuss your case. We don't charge for consultations.
We compiled a list of DOs and DON'Ts for those of you who got in a car accident during pandemics.
The DOs
• DO call an ambulance if somebody is injured. In Las Vegas, Nevada, line 311 is available to report non-life-threatening injuries and minor property damage.
• DO move vehicles off the road to prevent further accidents. Use hazard lights, or put out flares.
• DO maintain social distancing when exchanging information with the other driver(s) involved and keep a six-foot distance.
• DO wear a protective mask and gloves while interacting with other involved parties.
• DO exchange accident-related information with another driver verbally - name, phone number, driver's license, license plate information.
• DO be prepared for the delays. During pandemics, many road accident-related services operated on a limited basis.
• DO use your mobile phone and many photos of damaged vehicles and the environment, road conditions, and record your car accident-related information.
• DO identify potential eyewitnesses and get their contact information.
• DO contact your insurance provider and report an accident.
• DO get a Police Report Number from the investigating officer. You need this report number when you file a liability claim.
• DO take safety precautions when going to a hospital. After visiting a hospital following your car accident, stay alert for possible exposure to COVID-19 for the next 14 days.
THE DON'Ts
• DON'T leave the scene of a car accident until you resolve the matter. Driving away from a car accident scene is a crime in Nevada.
• DON'T apologize to the other driver. Even when you feel that the accident was your fault, don't apologize. Your apologies will be considered an admission of guilt and will later be used against you by the other drivers' lawyers and insurance companies. The truth is - you do not know the cause of an accident. It could have been the fault of the shop that did your last brake repair or road construction company.
• DON'T forget to document an accident. Especially when the accident resulted in a severe injury, you need many photos of an accident's surrounding area and your injuries.
• DON'T forget to call the local police and report your accident (in Las Vegas, Nevada, you call 311, the line available to report non-life-threatening injuries and minor property damage). You need a police report to file a liability claim. A police report can be crucial to establishing fault for the accident and is required when filing a lawsuit. A police report includes critical information about the car accident, including road conditions, names and contact information of witnesses, and an official write-up of how the accident occurred.
• DON'T file a liability claim on your own. Even so, theoretically, you can file a lawsuit without an attorney, hiring an attorney is highly recommended in cases when you got hurt in an accident. The attorney will protect your rights, negotiate a full and fair settlement with the at-fault party (or their insurance), and, if necessary, will take your case to trial.
• DON'T feel that you have to accept the first settlement from the insurance company during pandemics. True, during the pandemics, many people lost their jobs and are strapped for cash. And still, talk to an attorney before accepting a check from the insurance company and signing a release. Pandemics or not, you want to get fair and full compensation for your injuries.
• DON'T hesitate to seek medical treatment for yourself or your passengers. Often people don't feel like their injuries are significant right after an accident. And that's okay. Some of our strongest cases have started this way. Only after car accident victims go back to their daily routine do they begin feeling the injuries (for example, back pain, neck pain, leg pain, head pain).
• DON'T speak to the other party's insurance company without a lawyer present. Insurance company adjusters are not your friends - they represent the interests of the insurance company. They will try to get you to settle your claims for as little as possible. They will ask you about what happened in the car accident and later try to use your words against you during the claim's settlement negotiations or in a subsequent lawsuit. When an insurance adjuster calls you, take their information (name, phone #, address) and tell them that your attorney will contact them. And then call your attorney for personal injury.
• DON'T be surprised by the delay - there will be delays in getting treatment and general office delays. Since most insurance employees work from home during COVID-19, there will be delays processing your liability claim and sending you a settlement check after your car accident.
• DON'T post photos of your accident on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites, and don't share how you feel or about your treatment's progress. Not only do your friends and family read your posts. The insurance company's adjuster also reads your postings. Even if you delete your posts on social media, the insurance company will subpoena your account's content on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and use your deleted posts, comments, images, and videos as evidence during the trial.
We can help
If you or somebody you love suffered severe injuries in a car accident, call us at 702-432-1000 to speak with a car accident lawyer directly.
We serve clients in Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin, North Las Vegas, and the surrounding area of Nevada. We also represent many tourists vacationing in Las Vegas.
The car accident lawyers at Heshmati & Associates handle all car accident cases on a contingency basis. This means - you pay no fees unless we win.
Last updated on January 30, 2024.
