How to File a Car Accident Claim in Virginia Beach

Car accidents can be painful and confusing times. We understand what you are going through after a car crash. We want to help. Based in Virginia Beach, Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. has handled car accident and personal injury claims throughout the Tidewater region for over 30 years. Our car accident lawyers work to help victims get what they need: compassion, service, and compensation. Our attorneys understand the process can be difficult and have offered a guide on our most frequently asked questions when car accidents occur.

Car accidents can leave victims and their families physically injured and financially drained. We’ve handled car accident claims just like yours in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton, and Chesapeake, and beyond. We know what it takes to build your claim.

Contact us now for a free consultation about how we can help you deal with the aftermath of a crash. The consultation is completely free and comes with no strings attached.

Filing Your Car Accident Claim in Virginia Beach

Any car accident can cause an incredible amount of confusion and stress – not to mention medical bills, lost income, and other financial losses. Even relatively minor accidents can result in property damage and medical issues like whiplash. Serious accidents can cause severe long-term injuries that have a lasting impact on your life.

If you become involved in a crash, keep the following tips in mind to protect yourself in the aftermath of the collision.

Contact Emergency Services Immediately

If anyone was injured, it’s important to get them the medical attention they need as soon as possible. If cars or other property were substantially damaged, a police report can help. The police will collect information about the accident and prepare a record of the incident. Give the police the facts of the incident and avoid apologizing or taking the blame.

Health and safety come first. If you, or anyone else, are injured in an accident get the medical attention you need immediately.

Get Important Information from Others at the scene of the Accident

An auto accident claim is built on details, so the more you have, the better. If you’re involved in an accident, and you don’t require emergency medical treatment, gather the following pieces of information:

Take Photographs

Photos of a car accident scene can make or break a claim. Witnesses may forget key pieces of information or become hazy about important details. Photos will help you protect and preserve evidence critical to your claim. Consider taking photos of the following elements of an accident scene:

• Injuries – Take photos of your injuries soon after the accident. Later treatment can hide or reduce injuries. It’s important to have a record of an injury as soon as possible.
• Accident Scene – Skid marks, broken glass, the location of cars, and many other details can tell investigators a lot about an accident.
• Location and Surroundings – Photograph the area around the accident scene. Traffic signs, lighting, weather conditions, and many other details will give the accident important context.
• Witnesses, Emergency Responders, and Others Involved – Photograph everyone who was involved in the accident, everyone who witnessed it, and everyone who responded to help. This will help you remember who was there, and it may help investigators understand which witnesses to follow up with.

Stay Calm After an Accident

It’s natural to be stressed and upset after a car accident. It’s important to stay calm and focus on the facts. Remember that you’re under stress and you may not know the full circumstances of the accident. If you’ve been involved in an accident, stay calm and remember the following pointers:

• Cooperate with the police and emergency services.
• Be honest and stick to the facts.
• Don’t assign blame to yourself. There could be many reasons that the accident happened that are not apparent to you in the chaos that follows a crash.
• Even if you think you are at fault, don’t apologize or admit fault. You may be stunned by the accident, or you may not have seen problematic behavior from the other driver that led to the accident.

Get a Complete Medical Evaluation

Even if you think you haven’t been seriously injured, be sure to see a doctor and get a medical evaluation as soon as possible after the crash. Some injuries are obvious and require immediate treatment. Others may take time to make themselves known. Whiplash, internal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and other conditions may not show up until hours or days after an accident. Protect yourself and your claim by getting a medical evaluation.

Notify Your Insurer

Contact your insurer as soon as possible and notify them that you were involved in an accident. Provide only the basic facts about the accident – the date, the location, who was involved, etc. You may not know all of the circumstances or details that resulted in your accident. Even if you think you may be at fault, you may not be.

The insurance company will gather all of the relevant information and conduct an investigation. Depending on how serious the accident was, the insurance company may pull in experts to analyze and even reconstruct the scene. In many cases, it’s important to seek an independent investigation and analysis of the crash to discover its true cause.

Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer in Virginia Beach

If you were injured in a car accident, a lawyer can help you manage your claim. The team at Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. is ready to help in the following ways:

• We can help you organize and protect your claim. A car accident can generate a lot of paperwork, including medical bills, medical records, receipts for property, police reports, and many other important documents.
• We can handle communications with the insurance companies and the others involved in the accident. An accident can leave you injured and upset. A lawyer can be your voice in discussions with insurers and other parties, such as a rideshare company.
• We can help build a strong claim. Lawyers know the records and evidence needed to support a car accident claim. Our experienced lawyers know how insurers and other parties will operate after an accident. With a lawyer on your side, you’ll be able to create a powerful and persuasive case to seek compensation for your injuries.

If You Were Injured, SRGS Law Can Help You File a Virginia Beach Car Accident Claim

Ruloff, Swain, Haddad, Morecock, Talbert & Woodward, P.C. has represented car accident victims throughout the Virginia Beach area for decades. We understand car accidents and how they can change your life forever. If you have been injured in a wreck, our car accident lawyers can help protect you and your claim. Contact us today for a free consultation.