5 Things to do After a Car Accident

There are high chances that you or a loved one will be involved in a car accident, and you’ll need a car accident lawyer in Bakersfield to help you make claims for the damage on your car, bodily injuries, or other financial expenses caused by car accident. Although personal injuries may appear minor and harmless initially, they may later on become serious health problems.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, you should be compensated. A car accident lawyer in Bakersfield can help accident victims seek justice and recover damages for bodily injuries and damaged property. The lawyer will advise you on the available legal options and ensure your legal rights are protected as you pursue justice.

Common Causes of Car Accidents

The following are the common causes of car accidents:

1. Design Defects
   Anything made by humans is prone to defects, and cars are no exception. Cars need hundreds, if not thousands, of parts to run, and one defective part can be an ingredient in a serious car accident. A past study shows that most automakers struggle with design defects and have had to make product recalls in the past. For instance, Ford Explorer struggled with rollover accidents while some Toyota cars experienced unintentional acceleration crashes.
2. Unwise Lane Changes
   There are times when you must change lanes, like when you’re exiting a freeway, or when you’re making a turn. Most drivers do not observe safety guidelines when changing lanes, and a single mistake may cause a serious accident. Unsafe lane changes can be avoided by communicating your intentions to other road users through indicating, by checking your blind spots, and ensuring there’s no oncoming traffic.
3. Driving on the Wrong Places
   It’s understandable to experience poor judgment once in a while. However, such mistakes can be costly when driving. You may take a turn thinking it’s a left turn when it is not. When you’re driving in the wrong direction, you risk causing an accident besides risking the lives of other road users.
4. Tailgating
   Most drivers are uncourteous, impatient, and reckless. They do not keep a safe distance, hence failing to react appropriately if something like sudden braking happens. Drivers may dangerously tailgate you at high speeds, risking causing an accident. Tailgating accidents can be avoided by keeping a safe distance from the car in front of you.
5. Drunkand Intoxicated Driving
   Most states or jurisdictions consider driving under the influence a criminal offense. Drugs, legal or illegal, can impair your driving ability and judgment as a driver. Drunken driving accidents can only be avoided by driving while sober. There are no shortcuts to this!

What to do After a Car Accident

You should do the following things if you’re involved in a car accident:

• Seek medical assistance.
• Document the accident scene.
• Document the extent of the damage.
• Get repair estimates.
• Make a formal report to the police within 24 hours.
• Contact a car accident lawyer in Bakersfield.

Recovering personal injury and damaged property claims can be challenging and frustrating, but not when you have a good car accident lawyer by your side.