Accidents Happen! What to Do When You and Your Family are Involved in an Accident

Accidents Happen! What to Do When You and Your Family are Involved in an Accident

In San Diego, this past September, a family of four was leaving a restaurant and tragically hit by an allegedly intoxicated driver. The driver was driving the wrong way without her lights on, and when she hit the family she killed the mother and herself. The three surviving family members survived, but with major injuries.

This accident is a tragic reminder that sometimes accidents are inevitable. When you have a family, a devastating accident is among your worst fears; unfortunately, there is little that can be done to prevent them. No matter how careful you are, an accident may occur; however, there are steps you can take post-accident. Your reaction to the accident can impact the severity of it. In the case of the San Diego family, authorities were immediately notified, so those seriously injured received care in those most critical moments post-injury.

Especially in serious accidents, it’s incredibly important to contact emergency responders as soon as possible. It’s also important to contact an attorney, especially if someone else was liable. Look to attorneys who have a deep understanding of the insurance claims process. Pines is a former insurance company lawyer, and therefore has a deeper understanding of the nuances of the legal system.

How to Handle Minor Accidents

When you have children (or even as an adult) minor accidents tend to be a regular occurrence. Kids will fall and get minor scrapes or bruises. Although these accidents are non-life-threatening, how you handle them is important. For example, all burns should be treated immediately and not with creams, gels, powders, or grease. Instead, you run your child’s hand under cold water and then cover the area with a dry bandage.

Minor accidents are a fine line; if you take them too seriously then you will make the child afraid of everything; too lightly, and they will continue to put themselves at risk. For most minor injuries common sense will tell you how to handle it. The most important thing is to treat it, and to appropriately use it as a learning opportunity so future accidents may be prevented.

How to Handle Serious Accidents

Serious accidents (hopefully) happen less often than minor ones, but they unfortunately do occur. Sometimes there are serious injuries; injuries that will require professional medical attention. In these situations the most important thing is to get the appropriate help as quickly as possible. If you’ve been injured, you might want to seek out a tulsa personal injury lawyer.

If you’re in a car accident then it is important to remain as calm as possible, and to contact the authorities while you check yourself and others for injuries. In the moments after such an accident it may be tough to do, but remaining calm enough to get the appropriate help is the number one priority. If there’s possible DUI charge and you’ve had a previous DUI record in the past, contact a reputable second DUI lawyer to help your case.

Long Term Recovery is Important

Once you receive help after a serious accident, there are still several steps you should take. First, you must focus on addressing any injuries. Once all your or your family members’ injuries are addressed, you should continue contact with the appropriate authorities. In the case of a car accident or any accident involving other people, it may be a good idea to protect yourself by consulting a lawyer.

Another thing to consider is seeking professional psychiatric help for yourself or your family members following any traumatic accident. This can be an important step in helping everyone to move forward from the accident without suffering from (untreated) psychological stress. Following each of these steps are essential in successfully moving forward from any serious accident.

Ultimately, both minor and serious accidents are unavoidable. Whether it be your kids getting a skinned knee, your parents suffering a nasty fall, or you getting in a car accident; eventually an accident will happen. By having insurance and how you handle an accident after the fact will greatly impact your ability to heal and to recover beyond just the physical toll.