After being in a car crash, you might feel shocked that it happened to you. No matter how safe and attentive of a driver you are, there is still a chance that you could get into a collision because you can’t control other drivers. Unfortunately, any amount of negligence from a single person behind the wheel of a vehicle can lead to a serious, and sometimes deadly, crash.
When looking at the statistics in Hidalgo County which houses the city of Mission, you can better understand the possibility of a collision happening to you by evaluating the amount of people harmed in crashes before you. This can help you feel better about your collision by seeing that others have experienced the same thing and have recovered.
In 2020, the Texas Department of Transportation released a crash report by county that details the different levels of injuries as well as the number of crashes. According to the report, here were the numbers in Hidalgo County:
12,730 total crashes
594 unknown severity crashes
7,634 non-injury crashes
3,313 possible injury crashes
908 non-incapacitating injury crashes
239 suspected serious injury crashes
42 fatal crashes
While it might seem like the numbers of fatal and serious injury accidents are low compared to the total number of crashes, they show that there is always the possibility of your crash turning serious or fatal. It’s important to seek medical help immediately after a crash so that your health can be evaluated and treatment for any injuries can start right away.
You shouldn’t have to worry about the damages you’ve suffered from someone else’s negligence. That’s why our Mission, TX car accident lawyer is here to help you. We’ll collect all the necessary evidence to prove the other party was at fault and get you the full and fair recovery you deserve.
What To Do Directly After a Car Crash
Since you never expect to get into a wreck, you might not know exactly what to do when you’ve been crashed into by another driver. Once the initial disbelief has worn off, there are actions you’ll need to take to ensure that you are safe, and the wreck is as documented as possible. Here are the steps that you need to take when you’ve been in a car accident:
Assess Your Situation. You might feel frantic, but it’s important to take a deep breath and assess your situation. You’ll need to quickly evaluate if you’re hurt and if you can move. If you’re able, you’ll need to move to safety and out of the way of any additional collisions.
Call Emergency Services. Once you determine that you’re safe, you should call emergency services and tell them your location and what happened. From there, they’ll send the police and emergency medical services to help.
Speak with the Police. Even though you’re likely still rattled from what happened, you should speak with the police so that they can file a report about the accident. You should only stick to the facts of what happened and avoid speculating who or what caused it.
Exchange Information. Getting the other driver’s information is crucial. Get their name, address, phone number, car information, and insurance information so that you have all of the necessary information if you need to file an insurance or legal claim later. When exchanging information, it’s important not to place any blame on them or apologize for what happened.
Speak to Witnesses. Some people who might be able to help you later are the witnesses. Even though they’ll likely speak to the police to help establish what happened, it can help you to personally get the information of any witnesses to your accident. That way, if you need to file a legal claim later, you can contact them to make statements about what they saw.
Seek Medical Help. Possibly the most important step is to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the more your health could suffer, but also the less proof you have of the injuries that you incurred from the accident. You’ll want to go to the hospital or see your doctor right away so that you can get an immediate evaluation. This will also give you a record of your injuries and give them a direct association to the crash.
Contact a Lawyer. One of your last steps will be reaching out to a car accident lawyer. They’ll help you compile all of the evidence from your wreck and determine who was at fault for what happened. From there, they’ll work to get you the compensation you deserve for all the damages you suffered.
You can trust our Mission, TX car accident lawyer to represent you through your claim. These steps can seem intimidating, especially filing a legal claim against another party. With our attorneys on your side, you won’t have to worry—you’ll be able to focus on healing while we work on getting you justice.
Buckingham & Vega Law Firm Can Support You
Accidents can be overwhelming, especially when they leave you with injuries and other damages. You’ll likely want to get back to your everyday life, but your injuries and financial damages could be prohibiting you from doing that. That’s where we come in. Our Mission, TX car accident attorney at Buckingham & Vega Law Firm is here to support you and get you back to your life.