Serious injury and death can occur as the result of an accidental shooting. If you or a loved one was injured after being shot, you are probably entitled to compensation. The following are some things you should do after being involved in an accidental shooting.
Seek Medical Assistance Immediately
Some shooting injuries could be minor, but many are more serious. If you are injured in an accidental shooting, seek medical assistance immediately. Most shooting injuries will require a call to 911 because they can get serious quite quickly. If you are able to drive the injured individual to the emergency room, you can seek assistance in that way. Regardless of the way you do it, medical care is essential after a shooting.
Contact the Authorities
A police report should be made, even if the shooting was accidental. The police officer who responds to the incident can take a look around to ensure it truly was an accident. If he or she suspects something sinister went down, criminal charges may be brought against the individual who shot the gun, or perhaps another individual.
For example, a child may accidentally shoot another child during a joint investigation of a recently discovered gun. After a police officer has a chance to look the scene over, it may be discovered that the gun was obtained illegally. It could also be determined that proper care was not taken to keep the gun locked up. Those two acts may have resulted in the child getting shot, and the individual in possession of the firearm could get charged with criminal activity.
Gather Information from Witnesses
If anyone was there to witness the accidental shooting, you should gather their contact information. You don’t need to get a statement or start trying to pit people against each other. Your lawyer can send an investigator to speak with the witnesses at a later time so you can figure out exactly what happened and who is at fault for the injuries.
Contact Your Lawyer
When a situation is accidental, many individuals assume they can’t seek compensation or can’t file a lawsuit, but that’s not necessarily true. Many accidental shootings result in lawsuits, criminal charges and other legal actions. If you or a loved one was shot in an accidental situation, immediately get medical assistance, contact the authorities and gather witness information for the best chance at proper compensation. Contact a personal injury lawyer, like from Darrell Castle & Associates, today for help getting it done.
