What Should I Do After a Car Wreck Death in Titusville, FL?

Every year, families in Titusville, FL, lose a loved one due to a fatal car accident. In fact, according to statistics, at least seven people die every year in this city due to car accidents. If you have lost a loved one in a car accident in Titusville, it is important to know what to do. 

Here are some tips to guide you: 

Report the Accident

Call 911 and request an ambulance and police at the accident scene. The police officers will take important details about the accident, such as the parties involved, probable cause, witness accounts, etc. 

We understand that not all car accidents are the same. For this reason, your response will depend on how the accident occurred. For instance, if you find out about the accident from your friends or family, you should collect as much information as possible about it.

It is also important to ensure that a police report is filed. If you find out about the accident from the police, you can request a copy of the report. If you did not find out from the police, you can still call them and ask about the accident. If officers responded to the scene, they should be able to provide the basic information you need to know and guide you on obtaining a report for the same. 

Collect Evidence

Understandably, you will be in shock after such an incident. But you have to do this for your loved one. Remember, your steps after the accident could make or break your claim if you decide to file one. 

Remember to take pictures of the accident scene if possible. While taking the pictures, focus on the damages, road signs, and any other important information you believe will help provide a clearer view of how the accident occurred. 

Throughout the process, you will likely be in shock. But remember that although you may not be able to bring your loved one back, you can seek compensation to cover certain expenses arising from such a tragedy. 

Keep Records

A car accident can have a devastating effect on your memory. If the accident claimed your loved one's life, you do not want to imagine what it can do to your memory. You may have been lucky to survive the accident, but certain injuries, especially those caused by blows to the head, can lead to serious damage and possibly memory problems. For this reason, it is important to keep records of most of the things that happen after the accident. 

Get yourself a diary and begin recording details such as how you feel both mentally, physically, and emotionally, whether you had any nightmares about the accident, any fears, regrets, etc. Do not be afraid to express yourself as much as possible; it is good for your mental and emotional well-being. 

Another thing you need to bear in mind is that documenting your journey after the accident can also help give other people an idea of what you have gone through. When you lose a loved one in a car accident, not so many people might be able to relate to the pain. Some will feel sympathy but not deep enough to understand why you are constantly depressed, unable to go to work, or hang out with your friends like you used to. 

Grief does not come with a deadline. Therefore, documenting your journey and how you feel after the accident brings other parties, including your attorney, into your world and thoughts. 

Seek Medical Assistance

If you were involved in the same accident as your beloved, who unfortunately lost their life, it is important that you seek immediate medical attention. This is because grief can make you numb to such pain. 

You also need to bear in mind that your health is equally important. Many people suffer internal injuries after car accidents and only learn about them when it is too late. If the accident was severe enough to claim the life of your beloved, you should be concerned about your health if you were involved. 

Generally, it is advisable to seek medical attention as soon as possible. This is because certain internal injuries, such as organ damage, could worsen overnight. Have you ever heard of individuals who walked out of accidents feeling perfectly fine but died later in their sleep? This happens most of the time, primarily due to internal injuries.

The worst thing about these injuries is that you may not know about them until it is too late. Besides, most of their symptoms could easily pass as ordinary symptoms of common diseases such as flu. While painkillers could help manage the pain for a few hours, chances are they won't do anything about the internal body damage. 

Secondly, if you decide to file a claim or lawsuit after the accident, you may not be compensated for your injuries if you do not seek medical attention. Remember that you have a limited time to seek medical attention after a car accident. If you cannot do so immediately, ensure you find a way to see your doctor no later than two weeks after the accident. 

If you take too long to see a doctor, the other party could simply claim that you got injured elsewhere and you are seeking compensation for an injury their client is not responsible for. 

Don’t Reveal Too Much

When a loved one dies in a car accident, you may want to talk to someone about it. This is natural. However, from the legal perspective, opening up about the accident, especially to the wrong people, could jeopardize your entire claim. And since the wrong people do not walk around wearing tags to warn innocent people like you, you shouldn't trust just anyone that wants to talk to you about the accident. 

If the other driver caused the accident, chances are their insurance provider (and also your own insurer) will contact you to find out more about it. But any experienced car accident attorney will tell you that speaking with the other party about the accident could jeopardize your claim. 

This might not make sense initially. Why should you not discuss the accident with just anyone who seems to care about your loss, even if it's your own insurer? After all, you have nothing to fear - everyone knows the other driver was at fault, right? Unfortunately, that's not how insurance companies work, and many people learn this the hard way.  

Here's why: 

Insurance Companies Will Twist Your Words
One of the reasons the insurance company wants to find out more about the accident is because they know how serious such a case is. For this reason, they hope you will say anything that could jeopardize your claim. One thing you need to know is that insurance companies are pretty good at manipulating accident victims, especially during the first few days after the accident. This is because such individuals are usually in their most vulnerable state due to shock the first few days after the accident. 

Remember, Florida is a no-fault state when it comes to car accidents. So if your insurance provider contacts you about the accident, it is not because they care so much about you. Instead, chances are they want to find a way to minimize or dismiss your claim. 

Insurance Companies Want You to Settle for Less
When the insurance provider realizes you may be eligible for compensation, they will try to propose a quick settlement. They obviously won't force you to sign the agreement but will come up with creative ways to lead you to it. 

For example, they will sound sympathetic after the accident, claiming that they want to help you reach an agreement as soon as possible because they supposedly care about you. That's just a trick to lead you into accepting a settlement offer that's way below what you may be entitled to. 

Insurance Companies Want to Know What You Are Worth
Insurance providers, through their claims adjusters, will contact you shortly after the accident. First, they will begin asking you questions about the accident. All along, they will sound friendly and caring. But as you begin to get more comfortable, they will start asking questions about you, where you work, how much you earn, etc. 

These may not be the exact questions they will ask, but they are usually along those lines. For example, if they want to find out where you live, chances are they want to know your income bracket. They will then use this information to propose a settlement they know you cannot resist. For example, if your annual household income is $50,000, a settlement offer of $200,000 might seem irresistible. 

But what if we told you that your case is worth ten times more than the initial offer?

Insurance Companies Do Not Want You to Hire an Attorney
From an insurance provider's perspective, time is your most important asset, especially after a car accident. They know that at any given moment, you may realize the importance of working with an attorney. This explains why they will try to convince you to sign a settlement agreement. Some will even argue that you may not be able to pursue the claim anymore if you do not sign an agreement within a specific timeframe.

But that is not true. Insurance providers are always racing against time to settle such cases, particularly those that involve clients who do not have an attorney. They know that once you sign the settlement agreement, you free them from any liability that would arise. 

For example, using the figures we mentioned earlier, suppose you agree to settle for $200,000 as compensation for the accident that claimed your loved one's life. If you later discover that the case was worth more, you cannot file a new claim for the same accident. The only way you may be able to do that is by proving that the insurer committed fraud when they convinced you to sign the agreement. But that's almost impossible.