As spring break season kicks off everyone from college students to families start the trek south to spend time on our sunny beaches. This can lead to increased car accident risks for both the visitors and locals.
For those on the long drive down, we cannot stress how important it is to stop and rest at any sign of fatigue. Drowsiness leads to preventable accidents each year as people push themselves to the limit. Locals, on the other hand, need to give out-of-towners a little more room.
In this blog we will cover three things that you need to do after any accident. The one important difference for tourists is finding a local attorney before vacation end.
Gather Contact information
Get contact information from each driver involved in a car crash. This one seems simple enough, but with the shock of an accident it can be easily overlooked.
Speak to anyone who witnesses the accident. Ask how you can reach them in the future, if questions of causation arise or an insurer tries to deny coverage.
Call the police
The local police can assist in the exchange of information. Having a police report also ensures you have a contemporaneous account of what happened. As time goes by, memories fade and the other driver may stop cooperating.
Seek medical care
Get a checkup. A sore neck or headache could be indicative of a more serious injury.
Whiplash that starts as a pain in your neck could turn to chronic pain. Undiagnosed brain injuries may leave you feeling cloudy and you may not immediately tie it to the auto accident.
Speak to an attorney
If you are from out of state, speak to an attorney while you are still in Florida. It becomes more of a challenge to select and meet with an attorney after you return home. Each jurisdiction has different procedures and regulations, which makes it important to work with a local attorney.
It is also necessary to seek an attorney licensed in Florida, in the event that a case needs to go to trial. Our attorneys at Brannon & Brannon have the experience to help you and also accept referrals from out-of-state attorneys working with clients who were injured while in Florida.
