What to Do When You Have a Car Accident in Kentucky

If you’ve been in a car accident, it can be tough to know what to do. No two car wrecks are exactly the same, and in Kentucky you will often have questions that you don’t think of at the scene of the accident. Here are some tips to make sure you do everything necessary to get your car fixed, your medical bills paid, and your life back on track following a Kentucky car accident.

Call the Police

If you’re still at the scene of the wreck, call the police to take down all the information. If you only exchange information with the other driver you may find that the information you’ve been given is only as good as the paper it’s written on. Any Northern Kentucky police department can verify the driver’s license and insurance information at the scene! Further, in Kentucky it is required by law that you call the police if there are any injuries, no matter how minor. Finally, make a note of the make, model, color, and license plate number of the other vehicle.

Are There Witnesses?

If there are any witnesses that stopped by to help, be sure to get their names and contact information. Most disputes over automobile accidents in Northern Kentucky do not have a lot of information from eyewitnesses because no one thinks to get (or keep) the witnesses’ information. This is especially true on busy roadways such as I-71/I-75, US 42, Kentucky 18, Dixie Highway, and the AA Highway, because the volume of traffic causes many people to try to move away from the site of the accident as soon as possible.

Don’t Admit Fault or Assign Blame To Police or Medical Personnel

Communicate with the police and paramedics but don’t accuse others of fault or admit to fault yourself. That is something for the police and (if necessary) the Kentucky courts to decide. You want to give an honest account of the facts, but there’s no need to throw blame around when emotions are high. In Northern Kentucky, most fights following a car accident are started when one person has accused the other of fault.

Take Pictures

Pictures are worth a thousand words, and if you have to go to court over the damage to your car or over your own injuries, pictures can be invaluable. In Northern Kentucky courts, pictures can turn a “he said, she said” dispute into an easy victory for the person telling the truth. Take pictures of the car, your own injuries, the roadway, everything!

Notify Your Insurance Agent

In Kentucky, you have a duty to notify your insurance company about the wreck as soon as possible. In Northern Kentucky courts, insurance companies often try to get out of covering you due to a failure to communicate with them immediately after the accident, even if you’ve paid all your premiums! Although you have a duty to communicate with your own insurance company, that duty does not stretch to the other person’s insurance company. If the other driver’s insurance adjuster calls you, you should contact an attorney right away. Usually, this type of phone call is an attempt to get you to admit to fault.

Protect Your Rights With an Experienced Injury Attorney

By law, you have a limited amount of time to file a claim or a lawsuit against the other driver. Although no law says you have to see a doctor as soon as possible after the wreck, insurance companies will try to use any delay in seeking medical care against you. Insurance companies also routinely deny coverage by saying the injuries are not related to the automobile accident. If you hear these arguments from the insurance adjuster, get a qualified injury attorney immediately. Insurance is a confusing area of law, even to lawyers that don’t practice in the state where your accident occurred, because each state’s law is a little bit different on this subject. Kentucky law is unique, as is Ohio’s.

If you’ve been injured in a automobile accident in Kentucky or Ohio, you need an attorney. Lawrence & Associates Accident and Injury Lawyers, LLC has a long record of success in auto litigation in Kentucky and Ohio.