A multi-car pileup can be a traumatizing experience. The shock of a crash may leave you shaken up and unsure of what to do in the minutes, hours, and days after a pileup accident. However, taking prompt action can best protect your legal rights and options to pursue financial and physical recovery after a multi-car accident in Chicago.
Ensure Your Safety
After a crash involving multiple vehicles, drivers should try to make the scene as safe as possible by moving their cars out of the middle of the road—if possible—to avoid further collisions with oncoming traffic and activate their vehicles’ hazard lights. Drivers should check on their passengers and the occupants of other vehicles involved in the accident for injuries or to see if anyone requires medical assistance.
Call 911
Even if no one appears to have sustained severe injuries, you should still call 911 to summon law enforcement and emergency services. EMS can check drivers and passengers for potentially serious injuries they may have sustained in the accident. The fire department can handle disabled vehicles stranded on the road. Finally, the police can begin investigating the accident to prepare a crash report or issue citations to drivers who violate traffic laws. A driver or passenger who calls 911 should provide the dispatcher with the location of the crash and the number of vehicles involved and follow the dispatcher’s instructions while awaiting first responders.
Seek Medical Attention
After a multi-car pileup, you can begin to protect your interests by seeking prompt medical attention, even if you think you did not suffer any injuries in the accident. Many car accident injuries take days or weeks to begin causing pain, stiffness, or other symptoms. However, doctors can identify many injuries soon after an accident through a thorough examination. When your doctor diagnoses injuries from the accident, you should follow their treatment recommendations and recovery instructions, including physical restrictions on your work or personal activities. Putting off treatment for your injuries may give an insurance company a reason to argue that you did not suffer as severe an injury as you claim. Finally, remember to request copies of your medical records of your treatment and rehabilitation.
Notify Your Auto Insurer
Contact your auto insurance provider promptly after a pileup accident to report the crash. Your insurance policy may require you to give your insurer prompt notice of an accident so it can begin investigating the crash. Giving prompt notice to your insurer can preserve your right to coverage under your insurance policy, including optional coverages you may have purchased like personal injury protection/MedPay, collision coverage, or rental car reimbursement. When you contact your insurance company to report an accident, remember to give details about the accident as you remember them without admitting fault or trying to blame someone else for the accident.
Gather Your Evidence
Collect evidence from the accident that can help you with an injury or property damage claim, including dashcam footage from your vehicle, photos/videos you took at the accident scene, and witness contact information. Remember to request copies of the police crash report. Finally, keep all bills, invoices, or receipts for expenses you incur during your recovery.
Seek Legal Counsel
Finally, talk to a car accident attorney about your legal options. Multi-car pileups can involve complex liability questions. An attorney can evaluate your rights to seek financial compensation for your injuries and vehicle/property damage.
Contact Our Firm to Talk to a Knowledgeable Car Accident Attorney Today
After suffering injuries and property damage in a multi-car pileup in Chicago, you need experienced legal counsel to ensure you recover maximum compensation for your injuries and losses. Contact Saperstein Law Group today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a dedicated car accident attorney to discuss your options for seeking financial recovery for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.