A car accident can be a very traumatic event. You will undoubtedly be stressed and not thinking clearly following even a minor accident. Therefore, it is wise to be prepared and have a plan of action should you ever be in the situation of requiring the help of Baltimore car accident lawyer. The first thing you need to consider is that there may very well arise differences in the accounts of the accident as reported by yourself and the person in the other vehicle. This is why it is prudent for you to always have a camera available – for instance in the glove compartment – so that you can take photos of everything relevant to the scene of the crash. For example, you should be able to show photos of your vehicle’s position with respect to the other vehicle, as well as to the surroundings. You should also take close up shots of the damage to your car, as well as to any surrounding objects. These details will prove very useful for your Baltimore car accident lawyer in building a case.
Furthermore, you should immediately take notes about everything relevant to the circumstances that lead to the crash. Do not rely on mental notes as these are profoundly unreliable and you may end up contradicting yourself, should your accident ever be discussed in a legal setting. Make sure you write down the license plate of any other vehicles involved in the accident. Some persons may flee the scene or give you false information, and their license plate is the only reliable way of identifying them to the authorities. If you are unfortunate enough to have sustained physical injury, keep receipts and all documentation from hospital and doctor visits.
All these separate pieces of information will prove extremely valuable when you ultimately present your case to a Baltimore lawyer. If the person in the other vehicle does not want to share insurance information with you, or is proving to be otherwise suspicious or uncooperative, call the police and ask for assistance. They deal with accidents all the time and will interview both parties so as to ascertain a reliable source of information for a judge to review. You will need to seek legal assistance if there is a dispute concerning who is ultimately responsible for the accident - and as such liable for cost. Your lawyer will assess the situation and advise you on a best course of action depending on the circumstances of your particular accident.
Remember that no to car accidents are the same, and there is a myriad of variables that can affect them. Some clear rules are in place, however, such as the requirement to yield for a left turning car. The insurance companies often settle such open-and-shut cases internally without any input from the parties involved. Obviously any driver who was found to be intoxicated or distracted (eg whilst talking on a cell phone) at the time of the crash, will automatically be held responsible. However, there are some unclear cases in which both drivers were following the rules and yet an accident ensued. In this case, you can look forward to a lengthy legal process in which various factors will be weighed against one another, and a Baltimore traffic court judge will ultimately have to reach a final decision.
