If you have been injured in a minor car accident in Portland, OR, you should seek medical attention immediately. Then, you should contact an experienced Portland personal injury lawyer.
Consulting an attorney is wise, even if you believe your damages are minor. You may have serious injuries that are not obvious for the first few days. Not all severe injuries are as immediately recognizable as broken bones and lacerations. In addition, most car accident lawyers offer these initial consultations for free.
Knowing in advance what steps to take if you are involved in a car accident is helpful. Additionally, Oregon law requires drivers involved in car accidents to take specific actions.
8 Steps To Take After a Portland Car Accident
If you are involved in a car accident in Oregon, you are required by state law to do certain things. Additionally, there are steps you should take to protect your rights, such as:
- Stop your vehicle immediately at the accident scene or as close as possible without blocking traffic or endangering yourself or others.
- Remain at the accident scene until a police officer arrives and advises that you may leave. Calling 911 is the easiest way to alert law enforcement of the crash.
- Render aid to anyone injured by the accident to the extent of your ability.
- Exchange information with the other drivers, passengers, or injured pedestrians. You should provide your name, address, driver’s license number, registration, and insurance information.
- Take photographs of all vehicles and the surroundings, if you are able.
- Seek medical attention and get checked out, even if you initially think you are not injured.
- Report the accident to the Oregon DMV with the Oregon Traffic Accident and Insurance Report Form.
- Contact a Portland car accident lawyer.
Taking these steps can protect your health and safety. They can also ensure you comply with the law and preserve your rights to any subsequent legal claims you may have for compensation.
7 Mistakes To Avoid After a Minor Car Accident in Portland, OR
Just as there are actions you should take after a car accident, there are also things you should not do. Mistakes that you should avoid include:
- Leaving the scene of the accident without contacting the police. Even when an accident causes little or no apparent damage, you must contact the police. If you later realize you are injured, the police report will help in settling or trying your case.
- Admitting fault. Do not admit fault even if you believe you caused the accident. When an accident happens, you may not be thinking clearly, and you cannot be certain which party or parties are at fault immediately after the accident. Let the police and your attorney investigate the facts of the accident.
- Not gathering evidence at the scene of the accident. If you can safely do so, you should take pictures of the vehicles involved and the surrounding area and get the contact information of all drivers and witnesses at the accident scene.
- Not seeking medical attention. Even if you think your injuries are minor, you should get checked out by a doctor. If you do not see a doctor soon after, it may be difficult to prove your injuries were caused by the accident, making it more difficult to recover compensation for your injuries.
- Not obtaining and reviewing a copy of the accident report. You should get a copy of the police report of the accident as soon as it is available. Then, you need to review it for accuracy. If you believe there are errors in the police report, it is important to let the police know about the errors and get them corrected immediately. You should not sign a report that contains factual errors.
- Taking the insurance company’s first offer. The insurance adjuster works for the insurance company and will try to settle your case for the least amount possible. Usually, the first offer is not the total amount the insurance company will pay to settle your case.
- Not hiring an experienced car accident attorney. You may think you do not need a lawyer for a minor car accident case. However, clients who hire experienced personal injury attorneys generally receive a much larger settlement than accident victims who do not hire an attorney. Contact Tillmann Law Personal Injury Lawyers today to schedule your free consultation.
As with the steps mentioned in the previous section, these considerations are critical to protecting your legal rights and interests.
If We Don’t Settle Your Case, You Pay Us Nothing
Most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. We only get paid if we successfully settle or win your case. In other words, we don’t get paid unless you get paid.
It costs nothing for you to talk to us about your case. We will conduct a free initial consultation and evaluation to discuss your car accident and options for recovering damages. You have nothing to lose by contacting a personal injury attorney after a car accident, and you may be able to recover substantial compensation for your injuries.
You Should Hire a Personal Injury Attorney Even For Minor Car Accidents in Portland, OR
If you were involved in a car accident in Portland, Oregon, you should at least contact an experienced car accident attorney to discuss your options. Even if you believe your car accident was minor, you should have your case evaluated as soon as possible to protect your rights.
We have recovered millions of dollars for Oregon accident victims at Tillmann Law Personal Injury Lawyers. Our experienced team is ready to fight for you to recover the compensation you deserve. Contact us today and schedule your free consultation and case evaluation.
If you were injured in an accident in Portland, OR, please contact our Portland car accident lawyers at Tillmann Law Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today.
Tillmann Law Personal Injury Lawyers
101 SW Main St. #1905
Portland, OR, 97204
(503) 676-6027
