Your worries will be magnified if you are involved in a car accident and are pregnant. You could suffer complications in your pregnancy, and the health of your unborn baby may be in jeopardy. The steps you take immediately after your collision are important for protecting the health and legal rights of you and your baby. Here are five first actions that you should take right away.
Seek Immediate Medical Care
If you suffered any obvious injuries, you should call 911 or go to the emergency room immediately. Even if you do not believe that you were hurt, you should be examined by your Ob-Gyn the next day because your baby could have suffered injuries, such as a brain injury or delayed growth—even in a minor rear-end collision. Signs that you need emergency medical care include:
- Contractions
- Vaginal bleeding
- Abdominal pain
- Fluid leaking from your vagina
- Bulging of the umbilical cord into the vagina
Call the Police
You should also call the police while at the crash scene. The police report can provide you with vital information, such as a narration of how the collision occurred, the officer’s conclusions as to its cause, and any traffic citations issued to the negligent driver. If you have to file a claim for compensation for your injuries with his insurance company, having a police report may help you settle your claim.
Obtain Contact Information
You should collect the contact information for the other driver and his insurance company. It is also important to get this information for any witnesses to your accident. Their statements can be very persuasive in corroborating who caused the collision.
Take Pictures
Take photos with your cell phone camera of the damage to the vehicles, accident scene, tread marks, your injuries, and anything else that you think might be useful in proving the other driver’s negligence. If you cannot do this because you are too hurt, ask someone to take the pictures for you.
Hire a Lawyer
Once you have obtained the medical treatment you need, you should retain an experienced car accident lawyer in Norfolk to file your claim and negotiate your settlement. Your case may be more complicated if you suffered any complications in your pregnancy or your baby suffered long-term health problems. You need the assistance of an attorney to be certain that you and your baby receive all the compensation you deserve in your settlement.
If you are pregnant and were injured in a car accident, let our skilled legal team take over the burden of filing a claim so that you can focus on the health of your unborn baby. To schedule a free consultation, call our Norfolk office today.
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