Things You Must and Mustn’t Do After an Accident
In the event of a car accident, you are required by Oklahoma law to fulfil a number of obligations. Everyone's safety will be guaranteed if these duties are observed. You could face jail time if you don't do what you're supposed to do.
Those responsible for causing an accident in Oklahoma are held responsible for compensating their victims. This means that the immediate aftermath of an accident can ascertain whether you receive compensation for injuries or make reparations to the other injured drivers. After a car accident in Oklahoma, here is a list of things you should and should not do. Calling an accident lawyer is one of the must thing you need to do!
Car Accident in Oklahoma: What to Do Next?
After an accident, drivers in Oklahoma are held to a high standard by the state's laws. Common sense and social responsibility inform many of these responsibilities.
Included in these responsibilities are:
Refusing to Provide Assistance
After a car accident that results in property damage, personal injury, or death, you must come to a halt. Unless you hit a rock, tree, or ditch on public land in a single-vehicle accident, you do not have to stop under these circumstances.
When you come to a halt, be sure to do so in a well-lit area free of obstructions to oncoming traffic. For the safety of oncoming motorists, you should use traffic cones, reflectors, or flares to mark the location of the accident.
You have committed a hit-and-run if you do not stop. A judge in Oklahoma can sentence you to at least ten days in jail if you are found guilty of a hit-and-run accident that results in an injury. In cases where a person is killed, hit-and-run drivers face at least one year in prison. When possible, you should assist anyone who was injured in the accident. Ambulances or first aid could be required.
Seek in and Seek out
The state of Oklahoma has a system of fault-based insurance. To file an insurance claim, you must obtain the contact information for the at-fault driver.
Police and other drivers need to know what happened, and each driver must give them their contact information.
Name
Address
A driver's license
Vehicle’s registration
The police can arrest a driver if he or she provides false information or refuses to provide the information. A sentence of up to a year in prison is possible if convicted.
Additionally, you should obtain the address and phone number of any eyewitness accounts who were present at the scene of the accident. These witnesses may be able to back up your story in an insurance claim or a lawsuit.
Ask Police for Help!
An injured or deceased person must be reported to the local police, county sheriff, or Oklahoma State Highway Patrol after a collision. Failure to report an accident could result in your driver's license being suspended for 30 days, and the police could arrest you. A conviction for failing to report can result in a sentence of up to ten days in prison.
Your injury claim benefits greatly if you call the police to report an accident. There will be a police investigation into the incident. A police report is expected as a result of the investigation. The police report will identify any drivers who were issued traffic citations and assign blame for the incident. Depending on the findings of this report, the insurance company could either pay or deny a claim.
Go To the Doctor
Medical attention should be sought as soon as possible following an accident, regardless of the severity of your injuries. A doctor will be able to determine the extent of your injuries and devise a treatment plan for you.
Visiting a doctor can help you get back on your feet. In an insurance claim or a lawsuit, your medical records can be used to support your damages.
Hire an Accident Lawyer
A lot of things are included in the rules and regulations of the accident cases in Oklahoma. Hire a car accident attorney who can help you throughout the cases.
After a Car Accident in Oklahoma, Here Are Some Things You Should Not Do
After a car accident, saying or doing the wrong thing can jeopardize your claim for compensation. Can even shift blame to you if something goes wrong. After a car accident, these are some of the things you should not do.
Do Not Acknowledge Your Negligence
An admission of guilt can make you the presumed at-fault driver in an accident. When your insurer's compensation runs out, the other drivers may file lawsuits against you.
An apology can be misconstrued as an admission by insurance adjusters, other drivers, and even police officers. There are a number of situations in which saying, "I'm sorry about your wife" is appropriate.
This could be interpreted as an admission of responsibility for the accident. You can avoid this issue by limiting your interaction with other drivers. Make sure you stick to the facts when you're talking to the police or your insurance company.
Lying to the Police Is a Crime
You could be arrested if you tell a lie to the police. An arrest and jail time are possible if you tell a significant lie to the police. Lying to the police is illegal.
If you lie to the insurance companies, your reputation will suffer. If you're caught lying by the police, insurers will begin to doubt your entire version of events. This could jeopardize the validity of your entire personal injury case.
If the facts don't support your side, always be honest with the authorities. Even if you are found partially at fault in the police report, your insurer must still pay your claim, with the amount deducted for the percentage of your fault. Even if you were 10% at fault for an accident, your insurance company only has to cover 90% of the damages.
Do Not Use Social Media to Discuss the Accident
If you're not careful, social media posts can backfire on you. Insurers and juries will lose faith in you if your social media posts disprove what you say in court or to the insurer.
An attempt at humor may force you and your attorney to explain your words. Consider, for example, a traumatic brain injury that you sustained in your accident. If you make light of your bandaged head on social media, your insurer may argue that you fabricated or exaggerated your injuries.
After a Car Crash, Here's What You Need to Know
In most people's lifetimes, they are involved in only a few car accidents. Consequently, you may not know what to do if it occurs. Every day, lawyers assist those who have been hurt in car accidents. After an accident, they can give you advice on what to do and what not to do.
Contact Chiaf Law Office to talk to an accident lawyer. An attorney can help you to get your compensation and justice at the same time.
**Disclaimer: This content is not legal advice and does not presume, establish or imply any relationship between client and attorney.