3 Steps To Take If You're Hit By A Car

When you're walking across the street, the last thing you expect is to be hit by a car. Unfortunately, sometimes drivers are negligent, and collisions can happen. If you're hit by a car as a pedestrian, here are three steps you should take:

1. Take the driver's information.

Immediately after a car accident, you may be feeling dazed and confused. It's not uncommon for people to go into shock after suffering a traumatic event like a car accident. Sit down and collect yourself if necessary, but make sure you exchange information with the driver of the car that hit you. Take their name, phone number, and insurance information. If they refuse to cooperate, call the police and take down their license plate number.

2. See a doctor.

If you aren't badly injured, you don't have to call an ambulance. However, you should still get checked out by a doctor as soon as possible. Some injuries can go undetected but lead to big problems down the road. Internal bleeding can be caused by car accidents, and you may not even know that you're hurt until you've lost so much blood that you get sick. If your doctor can't see you soon enough, an urgent care clinic can see you on the same day.

It's important to have a record of any injuries sustained as a result of the car accident, since it can help to prove your case in court. Save any doctors' notes that you receive, and request a copy of your medical records to give to your attorney.

3. Contact a car accident attorney.

If you were struck by a car, you may be entitled to compensation depending on the circumstances of the collision. At the very least, the driver's insurance should cover your medical bills. If the driver's maximum liability coverage was too low to pay for your bills, you may be able to sue the driver to make up the difference. In order to win a lawsuit against the driver, you'll have to prove that they were at fault. Even if you weren't in a crosswalk, the driver may still be legally at fault, depending on the state that you reside in.

A car accident attorney, like those at Palmetto Injury Lawyers, can listen to your case and advise you regarding the specifics. They can act as an intermediary when speaking to the driver's insurance company to make sure that you get a fair deal.