Exploring The Nuances Of Immigration Law

Summer vacation season is approaching, with millions of drivers taking to the open road. What happens if you are involved in a car accident in another state? Generally, it is the same as being in a accident in your home state, as long as the matter can be settled out of court.

What happens if you are involved in an accident in another state?

Whether an auto accident is in your home state or a different state, you will follow the same general procedures:

• Remove both vehicles from the road, if possible.
• Do not remain in the vehicles if they are disabled, because of the safety hazard, unless anyone is physically unable to exit the vehicle. 
• When both parties reach a place of safety, exchange insurance information, names, addresses, and contact information.
• Take pictures with your cell phone of the damage to both vehicles, the license plates, and the accident scene. Record the time, date, and place that the accident occurred.
• If both parties agree that one driver was at fault, then the offending driver should call their insurance company to file a claim. The other driver should call the offending driver's insurance company if they have not been contacted by the next day.

What happens if you are blamed for an auto accident in another state?

If you are at fault or falsely accused in an out-of-state auto accident, or if the other driver doesn't have insurance, then you will need to call your insurance company to file a claim.

Give them all the information that you gathered at the time of the accident, and they will pay for your repairs and any medical services that you require. if you were not at fault, then they will attempt to be compensated by the other driver's insurance company, or the uninsured motorist fund for that state.

If you are found to be at fault, and you wish to challenge the decision, you should consult with a car accident lawyer in the state in which the accident occurred. A car accident attorney from your home state may not be licensed to practice in that state, if a lawsuit needs to be filed.

What should you do if you've sustained injuries with inadequate compensation?

You can consult with a personal injury attorney in your home state (like those at Dreyer & Dreyer Attorneys At Law) to explore your options. They should be able to handle the paperwork and other preparations for a civil suit to be filed in the state in which the accident occurred, then work with a local attorney from that state to take the case to court. 

This will allow you to remain at home to recuperate from your injuries while you are being represented in a court far away from home.