In 2021 alone, there were 57,598 car accidents in Kansas, including 381 fatal collisions. These collisions occurred across the entire state, including Interstate 135, U.S. Route 54, and Kansas Highway 96.
The unfortunate reality is that even the safest drivers are at risk. You never know when another motorist will act recklessly and cause a collision resulting in injuries, lost wages, pain and suffering. However, knowing what to do in case of a traffic crash can help you prepare so you can take action and start rebuilding your life.
If you are ever in a car wreck in Kansas, you should contact Bretz Injury Law for a free consultation. Our attorneys can start working to protect your rights to financial recovery.
The Importance of Taking Action After a Car Accident in Kansas
What you do immediately after your accident can determine what kind of financial recovery you can pursue. Taking steps to protect your health and your rights can help you rebuild, even after a serious injury such as a spinal cord injury, whiplash, fracture, or head trauma.
Car accidents in Kansas are often traumatic. Staying calm and taking the right actions, however, can mean being able to pursue fair compensation for lost income, medical bills, car repairs, and other losses. Here, we’ve put together the top do’s and don’ts to keep in mind after a crash.
Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Kansas
The first thing you will want to do if you’ve been in a traffic collision is to stay calm and act strategically. Here’s what to do:
Seek Medical Attention
It’s important to call 911 or get fast medical attention if there is any chance you may have hit your head or sustained any injury. Even if you think you’re fine and you feel well, get a medical evaluation.
The unfortunate reality is that symptoms aren’t always apparent in an injury, especially after a car accident when your adrenaline may be flowing, masking pain and other signs of a problem. Visiting an emergency room, urgent care center, or other medical facility immediately after the accident lets you check for head injuries, soft tissue injuries, and other injuries.
Prompt medical attention can help you get an accurate diagnosis and can get you started with treatment, which can improve your prognosis. Medical attention also helps you establish that your injuries were caused by your car crash.
If You Are Able, Gather Evidence
Take out your phone and take photos or video of the scene, including your vehicle and the other car, your injuries, and anything around you that seems relevant. Get the insurance and contact information of any other driver involved and any contact information of witnesses, if possible.
Here are some other types of documentation you might want to keep after your car accident:
- Receipts for medication, taxi rides while you recover, and any other receipts for expenses related to your injury
- A journal of your injuries, including any activities you can’t do because of your injury
- An itemized list of time lost at work
- A list of doctor’s appointments and treatments you’ve needed
- Notes about any interactions with your insurance company or anyone else related to the accident
- Copies of medical reports related to your injury
- Copies of police reports related to the accident
- Pictures of your injuries as you recover
Keep a file box or folder in your home where you can put anything that could be related to your injuries and case. This information can be useful for your personal injury attorney should you decide to file a claim.
Common Mistakes to Avoid After a Car Accident in Kansas
Car accidents in Kansas are stressful, and it’s no surprise that drivers sometimes make mistakes in the days and weeks following a crash. While understandable, missteps made after a traffic collision can affect your ability to maximize recovery. Here’s how to avoid the most common (and costly) mistakes:
- Avoid talking about the accident. Avoid talking about the cause of the accident at the scene and don’t talk to insurance adjusters. The one person you want to speak with about your crash is your car accident attorney.
- Be careful with social media. Anything you post online or even share through instant messaging can be used against you by the at-fault driver’s attorneys. Even if you think you’re making perfectly innocent posts discuss your social media platforms with your personal injury attorney after your accident.
- Don’t avoid reporting the accident. Report the accident promptly to the police and your insurance company. Failure to do so can mean you may not have the documentation you need for your claim.
- Don’t try to resolve the case yourself. Working with an experienced car accident attorney means you have someone negotiating for you. An attorney can use his or her experience to seek compensation for you and can protect you from some of the missteps you might make if you were to try to make a claim yourself.
- Don’t take your health lightly. Make sure to get seen immediately after the crash and continue to show up for doctors’ appointments and follow all recommendations. This improves your chances of healing, and if you make a claim, it shows you’re serious about your health.
- Don’t delay making decisions. In Kansas, there is a two-year statute of limitations, and after this, you lose the right to file a claim. It’s best not to wait two years or even months, however. The sooner you start the process, the more evidence your attorney may be able to secure to prove your case.
- Don’t withhold information from your attorney. It’s important, to be honest with your attorney. If your actions may have contributed to the collision, share this information. If you’re having trouble accessing medical care or paying your bills, let your attorney know. An experienced attorney has heard it all, and the more information they know, the more they can help you.
How a Kansas Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You
A Kansas personal injury attorney is there to assist you in navigating the claims process and works to maximize your recovery. To do this, an attorney may:
- Investigate the cause of your accident
- Work with accident reconstruction professionals, investigators, and other experts to build a strong case
- Advise you about your insurance policy and any settlement offers
- Negotiate with the other parties and their attorneys, as well as with insurers
- File claims and all the paperwork needed so you can pursue a claim
- Evaluate the current and likely future costs you may face because of your injuries
- Present your case in court, if a trial may help you maximize your recovery
The role of your attorney is to seek the best recovery for you. While there are no guarantees about how much you can get for your claim, an experienced attorney will use their resources to give you the best shot at the most compensation. They will also remove the burden of pursuing a claim on your own. You can use the time you save to take care of your health.
Why Choose Bretz Injury Law After a Kansas Car Crash?
If you’ve been injured and need an experienced attorney, contact Bretz Injury Law. We’re a boutique injury law firm with results that regularly beat the big firms. We’re willing to go to trial instead of agreeing to an unfair settlement, and we’re known for not backing down. In fact, other law firms send their toughest cases to us.
We believe our results speak for themselves. We’ve won more than 98% of the cases we’ve pursued since 1991, and we’ve recovered over $300 million in verdicts and settlements.
Bretz Injury Law has intentionally remained small to give you more personalized service, and we go out of our way to really listen. Our team works on a contingency fee basis, as well, so you only pay us when we win. If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Kansas, don’t make a mistake. Contact Bretz Injury Law at our offices in Hutchinson, Wichita, Salina, Hays, Dodge City, Garden City, Liberal, Kansas City, Olathe, or Topeka. We’re here to make a difference.
