New York City car accidents can be confusing. Whether you’re dealing with a distracted driving accident on the Whitestone Expressway (I-678), a rear-end accident on Riverside Drive, a speeding accident on I-278, or a pedestrian accident on Madison Avenue, all it takes is one small mistake by a driver to cause your injury. If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, it’s critical that you take certain steps right away. Otherwise, your injury might get worse, and you might not get the financial compensation you rightfully deserve.
An experienced New York City car accident lawyer can help you every step of the way. Below, you can learn more about what steps you should take and how an attorney can help.
Call 911 and tell the police dispatcher you have been in a car accident caused by another driver. Depending on the location of your accident, a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer or state trooper from the New York State Police will likely respond to your accident. It’s important to have a law enforcement officer respond to your accident, especially if you sustained a serious injury. That way, you will have an official record of your accident. The responding police officer will fill out a New York Motor Vehicle Collision report for your accident. Later, you should get a copy of your accident report and carefully review it.
Even if you feel fine, have a doctor or another medical professional examine you right away. You could have a life-threatening internal injury and not even realize it. If necessary, ask the police dispatcher to send an ambulance to your accident or go to an emergency room at Mount Sinai or another, nearby New York City hospital. Your health and well-being should always come first.
If you have already been examined by a medical professional after your accident, schedule a follow-up appointment with a doctor. Many car accident injuries take several hours or days to develop, including whiplash, concussions, and other traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
If you can safely do so, take photographs of your accident. The more pictures you take, the better. In particular, try to get photos of the crash site, including accident debris, skid marks on the road, or the lack of skid marks. (That could be a clear sign the at-fault driver didn’t even attempt to slow down before causing your accident.)
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