So you’ve decided to take a trip to New York City. Despite the notorious traffic, costly tolls, and the near-total absence of street parking, you choose to drive into the city.
Maybe you want the freedom of travel provided by automobiles, or perhaps it’s because you’re reluctant to use mass transit. Whatever the reason, you willingly drive into one of the biggest cities in the world.
Everything is going great; after spending the first half of the day strolling through Central Park, you decide it’s time to move on from Manhattan.
After discovering that it’s free to drive across the Brooklyn Bridge, the next move becomes obvious; you’re headed to the borough that gave us air conditioning, roller coasters, and Marisa Tomei.
IMAGE: UNSPLASH
Once safely on the other side of the East River, you decide to drive by the former site of Ebbets Field, home to the Brooklyn Dodgers.
As you cruise past the apartment blocks that now stand in that sacred space, your safe driver instincts keep you from craning your neck and taking your eyes off the road.
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the schmuck driving directly behind you. He’s also feeling wistful about the loss of ‘dem bums all those decades ago. But instead of paying attention to what’s ahead, he gets lost in the longing for what’s been left behind.
He rear-ends you, going a little over 40 miles per hour before suddenly stopping in the worst way.
The bad news? Both cars are likely totaled. The good news? It appears nobody was mortally wounded. But you’re nonetheless hurt; meanwhile, your car is wrecked, and so is your trip.
So what now?
Call 911
Dozens of car accidents happen in New York each day. As a result, New York first responders have a lot of experience when it comes to dealing with the aftermath of a bad accident. Let them do their job by calling 911 right away.
Whether it’s extracting someone from a car or taking your statement, paramedics, firefighters, and police officers will prove essential in one way or another.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Even if you think you’re not hurt, it’s important to seek medical attention in the aftermath of a car accident. That’s because the symptoms of whiplash may take hours or even days to materialize. Medical professionals will be able to assess your condition and diagnose any injuries.
Doing so also establishes documentation regarding any injuries you may have, which will be important later.
Take Photographs
If you can exit your vehicle and walk around without extreme pain, take photographs of the accident scene using your mobile device. You may also want to record video footage as well.
Doing so will ensure some form of visual documentation of the accident’s aftermath before the scene is altered by the other party or by the intervention of first responders.
Find A Local Car Accident Lawyer
The next step is to lawyer up as soon as possible. Rather than limiting yourself to whichever Manhattan law firm has the biggest advertising budget, consider the benefits of choosing a local attorney.
A Brooklyn car accident lawyer will have the relevant experience needed to navigate the civil court process with precision without charging an arm and a leg to cover their marketing expenses.
They’ll also have the local connections needed to ensure all available evidence is gathered and put to the greatest use possible.
Contact Your Insurance Company
Even if you’re clearly not at fault, your insurance company still needs to be notified of the incident. Doing so will prevent any omissions from coming back to haunt you at a later date.
Refuse To Sign Anything
Do not sign anything unless your lawyer says it’s okay. Even then, make sure to have your lawyer carefully read over the documents you plan to sign.
While a signature on a birthday card is merely sentimental, a signature on a legally binding document can be the difference between getting the compensation you deserve and being hung out to dry.
File Your Claim As Soon As Possible
New York state law places limits on the amount of time in which an individual can file a personal injury claim.
While your car accident lawyer will know this and act accordingly, it’s important to avoid making their job harder by failing to collect key documents or missing your follow-up medical appointments.
How To Avoid Getting Into A Car Accident In New York City
Of course, all of this can be easily avoided with one simple trick: don’t drive in new york city the city is optimized for mass transit.
Sean Dalton is a freelance writer from California. He enjoys writing about cars, real estate, and technology.
IMAGE: UNSPLASH
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