What Should I Do in the Event of a Red Light Car Accident?

Did you recently get hit at a red light? Maybe someone wasn’t paying attention and rear-ended you. This can be a scary and overwhelming accident!

Car accidents also involve liability. This means you need to know what to do in the event of a car accident at a red light. You might have neck or back injuries or even emotional distress and deserve compensation!

Keep reading to learn how the best car accident lawyer in Las Vegas, NV, can help you with your injuries and other issues.

What If Someone Hits You at a Red Light?

There are a few scenarios that can happen during a car accident at a red light. One is that someone ran a red light and hit you. In this instance, you need to determine the damages. This also means figuring out the costs.

There can be costs associated with personal injuries, including medical bills and time lost working. There can also be costs related to repairs for your vehicle.

One of the first things you should do is get out of any immediate danger. If you’re at an intersection, it’s important to put on your caution lights and make sure you’re in a safe spot away from traffic.

When you know you’re safe, try to gather as much evidence as possible, including evidence to prove that the other person was at fault. From there, you can file a claim for the damages, and you may need to hire a personal injury lawyer.

If that’s the case, you can try to recover compensation for your damages with the help of your attorney. Right after the accident, be sure to collect evidence by staying on the scene and gathering the information you need to support your claims.

How to Collect Evidence and Information at the Scene

While you’re at the scene where someone hit you, make sure you also check to see if there are injuries. You may need to call an ambulance, so this is the first thing that needs to be done.

Then you should call the police so that they can fill out an accident report. Tell the police office your account and ensure that it is well documented in the report. From there, you should talk to the other driver and exchange insurance information and contact information.

If there are witnesses on the scene, ask them to stick around and speak to the police before leaving. You can also ask them to provide their name and contact information.

The best thing for you to do is take photos of the scene and the damage. This is the type of evidence that can clear things up in the future of the case.

Even if you didn’t need to call an ambulance, you might still need medical assistance. If that’s the case, hold onto copies of medical bills. You should also document lost wages as evidence if you’re unable to go to work.

If your story is different from the other driver and you believe that they ran a red light, ask the officer to gather video evidence from the intersection if a camera is present. Also, be sure that witnesses give their testimony to confirm what happened.

What If You Hit Someone After They Ran a Red Light?

Another scenario might be that another driver ran a red light, resulting in you hitting them. Since they violated the traffic law by running the light, they should be at fault.

However, this is another situation where gathering evidence is key. You will want to prove here that you had the right of way and didn’t break any traffic laws yourself.

Again, try to obtain a video of the intersection if a camera was there. If not, ask for witness statements and make sure you get a police report here as well.

What If a Third Party Caused the Accident?

There’s another situation where you might be involved in a car accident that a third party caused. Meaning, this other driver might have run a red light and swerve or break. It’s possible that this caused another accident that you were involved in.

This driver is also called a phantom driver. This driver caused the accident but has not damaged themselves.

You must gather evidence to prove that you were not at fault. Without damage, it’s not easy to prove that someone ran a red light, so you definitely need to gather any information to help prove your case.

However, take a look at your state’s laws because each state looks at fault differently. This is another scenario where you want to hire a car accident lawyer to help you. By hiring an attorney, you can make sure you’re not missing out on damages that you’re entitled to.

Other Types of Red Light Accidents

Aside from the accidents listed above, other situations can happen at a red light, like a left-turn accident.

This means a person turned left on a red arrow or ran through light at an intersection when the left arrow was green. You can also encounter a right turn accident and get hit at an intersection.

Another type of accident is a T-bone collision, which typically causes a lot of damage. This type of collision means a car crash happened when the front of one car hits the side of another at an intersection.

You can also end up in a rear-end collision, especially at a red light. If someone stops short or isn’t paying attention to the light, a rear-end collision can happen.

After this accident happens, make sure you report it to your insurance company.

Call Your Insurance Agent

Insurance companies have adjusters who speak with customers to help with car accident claims. When filing a claim, make sure you have your policy number, which can be found on your insurance card.

This is also when you should use all of the information you’ve gathered at the scene, including the location, date, and time that the accident occurred. Also, describe the accident to your insurance agent, including the other driver’s contact information and insurance information.

If you called the police after the accident, give your insurance agent the name of the police department and the report number.

Unfortunately, even after giving your insurance company this information, you may either be denied compensation for damages, or you won’t receive the full amount needed for medical bills and associated expenses.

This is again why it’s helpful to find a top accident lawyer in Las Vegas, Nevada, to receive help and justice.

Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Las Vegas, NV

In the case of a red light accident, you can become seriously injured and have broken bones, back injuries, organ damage, and whiplash. And along with injuries are the many medical visits that become costly.

You also may not be able to work due to the injuries you’ve sustained. Your vehicle will also likely need expensive repairs that add up to your overall cost.

Certain policies can help you regain the compensation you’re owed for these damages, including personal injury protection policies. From there, you can also take legal action against the person who hit you at a red light.

Again, the burden of proof is on you to show that the other driver either ran a red light or was at fault for the accident. A lawyer will help you in many ways after a red light accident, including conducting their own investigation.

A car accident attorney will find video and photographic evidence to help prove that the other driver was at fault. Your personal injury attorney can also help you gain compensation for medical bills and help you get more money from your insurance company.

This also removes the burden of spending time collecting information and remaining in frequent contact with your insurance company. Dealing with an accident is a time-consuming process that a car accident lawyer can handle for you.

Following the Necessary Steps After a Red Light Car Accident

When you’re in an accident at a red light, you might be afraid and in shock. By following the steps above, including checking any injuries, contacting the police, gathering evidence, and speaking to a lawyer, you can make sure you’re helping yourself out.

Hiring a lawyer will help release you from needing to do the continued work that it takes to prove you were not at fault and to get the compensation you need for medical bills, lost wages, and damage to your vehicle.

For more information about how you can get legal representation after a car crash, contact us. You can find the right car accident lawyer in Las Vegas, NV that will work to help you regain the compensation you deserve!

***Disclaimer: This blog is created by Heidari Law Group for educational purposes. This article provides a general understanding of the law. It does not provide specific advice. By using this site and reading through this blog, there is no attorney-client relationship created between you and any member of Heidari Law. Further, due to the constant change of the law, some parts of the information above may no longer be good law.