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2. How much will it cost to hire a lawyer?

3. How long will it take?

4. Who pays my bills from a car accident?

5. What about injuries other than from automobile accidents?

6. What about injuries on the job?

7. How much is my case worth?

8. Why the SCHMIDT LAW FIRM?

What to do After a Car Accident in Minneapolis, MN

Car accidents are both physically and emotionally traumatizing. When you are hit, you’ll likely take a moment to regain your senses and comprehend what just happened to you. Once you do this, your adrenaline will be running and your hands will be shaking. It is very important to think clearly at this time and follow these simple steps for what to do after a car accident:

Create an accident preparedness kit. This is something you need to do before you’re ever involved in an accident. Keep it in your glove box. This kit should include a pen, paper, a disposable camera, information about your medical allergies or conditions and your insurance information. Also, be sure to pack a set of warning triangles or flares in your trunk and always carry a cell phone with you. When you’re in an accident, all of these things will prove to be very useful.
Take a deep breath. Try to calm your nerves. Accidents are scary and stressful, but you will need to make a number of decisions right now and a clear mind will be a great asset at this time.
Evaluate your situation. Are you severely injured? Would it be safer to get the car out of the road or leave it where it is? What just happened to cause the accident? Once you have the answers to these questions, you can prepare yourself for the next steps.
Move the vehicles, if reasonable. If you are not severely injured, it is almost always safer to move your car off the road. Occasionally, this will be impossible or highly dangerous. In these situations, it is important to keep yourself safe. Do this by staying in the car with your seat belt on. If the vehicle seems to show dangers of fire or explosion, exit the car and move to the side of the road. Never listen to people who claim a police officer can’t take an accurate report if you move the cars –the damage to the vehicles, your testimony and any skid marks will be all the evidence he needs. In fact, an officer’s first concern is moving the cars to a safe area.
Warn other vehicles. Again, if you’re not seriously injured and you’re not in danger by leaving your car, you want to make things safer. Turn on your hazard lights. Set up road flares, cones or warning triangles around your car to help other drivers see the accident and avoid your car.
Call emergency services. If you are badly injured, ask them to send an ambulance right away. If there are any fires or if anyone is trapped, the fire department will need to be deployed. No matter what, the police should come to the scene and take an accident report. If you are taken to the emergency room, you will need to rely on the police officer to document the following steps. You may inform him that you have a camera in your glove box and would like photos of the accident. He may not comply, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Trade information with the other driver. You will need to exchange names, addresses, phone numbers, insurance info, driver’s license numbers and license plate numbers. If the driver is not the person insured on the policy, find out who is insured, their relationship to the driver and any contact info for that person.
Record the events. Write down your perspective of the events, including the car makes and models and the accident location. If the other driver agrees to your depiction, you may ask them to sign the paper. If not, set the information aside and save it for later. Do not discuss faults with the other driver or the police. Even if you think and accident is your fault, you may be wrong and this will jeopardize your case later.
Take evidence. Take photos with your camera. Be sure to record all damage to the vehicles, any skid marks and any property damage. If there were any witnesses, speak with them to collect contact information and their depiction of the events. If there are any vehicle parts on the ground in a safe area, collect them.
Talk with the police. Give them all of the info they ask for, but remember to never discuss faults with them. If you think the other driver may be intoxicated, ask if the officer can investigate. Always get a copy of the police report for your insurance and your lawyer.
Head to the doctor. Even if you did not want to take an ambulance because you were not seriously harmed, you should still be checked out for certain injuries that may not immediately appear. Whiplash and other injuries may take weeks to show up. Be sure to tell your doctor that you were just involved in a car accident. Keep records of all of your medical visits and treatments.
Report the accident to your insurance. You will want to do this as soon as possible, but that may be when you get home, at the hospital or at the accident scene. It all depends on the circumstances of the accident. Most insurance companies require you to report all accidents, so even if the damage seems minimal, call your company. Tell them about the evidence you collected in case in case they need to look at it.
Call your Minneapolis car accident attorney. He can help you file a lawsuit or negotiate with the other insurance company. You may think you can handle the insurance negotiations on your own, but remember, insurance companies want to keep the most possible money in their pockets. Your Minneapolis auto accident lawyer wants to put the most possible money in your pocket.
Never speak with the other insurance company. Their adjusters will call you and attempt to discuss the accident, but anything you say can get twisted around to suit their needs. Be polite, but tell them to speak with your insurance company or your Minneapolis car accident lawyer.

If you have been involved in an auto accident, your number one ally can be your Minneapolis car accident attorney. Do not hesitate to contact a lawyer after any car crash. The Schmidt Law Firm has years of experience working on these types of cases. Call today to schedule a free initial consultation and case evaluation.

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