A car accident can be stressful. You may be in mild shock and there may be many things going on.

However, you have to keep your cool and remember that there are certain things you need to take care of.

The scene of an accident is unique, and the period immediately following the accident may be the only opportunity you can have to take certain actions. Here's a look at five things you should remember to do following a car accident:

It's not that easy to sue a cruise line for a cruise gone wrong.

Just ask the 3,000 passengers who were recently on a disabled Carnival cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico. The Carnival Triumph had a fire onboard, causing a power outage that led to problems with sewage.

While there have been talks about a class action lawsuit, it's hard to say whether a lawsuit against a cruise company can be successful.

If you're in an accident, what happens if you flee the scene?

In Georgia, it's a crime. If you're involved in a hit-and-run, you could face charges of fleeing the scene of an accident.

What exactly does the law say about hit-and-runs?

This week, many are no doubt hearing about the case in California where a nurse refused to perform CPR on an 87-year-old woman who later died.

The woman was a resident at an independent living facility which was also attached to a nursing home. That difference was key in the woman's denial of care. Nursing homes have a higher standard of care than an apartment facility for the elderly.

The incident leads many to ask: What are a patient's rights in a nursing home?

For every lawsuit, there is a time limit for the lawsuit to be brought. That time limit is called the statute of limitations.

While you might think that a car accident lawsuit would have one specific statute of limitations, that might not be the case. Not every motor vehicle accident lawsuit is the same. The facts and circumstances differ and as a result, the statute of limitations could vary.

Personal injury lawsuits don't always make it to court. Court costs and the costs of litigation can run high and many times, it's in the parties' best interests to settle as fast as they can. An overwhelming majority of cases settle out of court, as The New York Times has reported.

Settlement negotiations aren't easy. There are tricks to the trade.

Here are a few pointers in having successful settlement talks:

Can you sue if your photo is misused online? It's a question many people are asking these days, with the free availability of personal data online.

And with the MTV show "Catfish" showcasing stories of catfishing -- i.e., creating fake profiles and false identities for fraudulent purposes -- it's opening people's eyes to how easy it is to lift a photo off Facebook, or any other website for that matter.

What can you do, if your photo is lifted and used without your permission? Here are some potential courses of action:

So, you've received a subpoena to appear at a deposition. Perhaps you were involved in a lawsuit, or perhaps you were just a witness to an accident.

How do depositions work and what do you need to know if you are being deposed?

In Georgia, the statements made in a deposition could be used at trial, as if you were a witness at the trial. So basically, depositions are a very important stage of the lawsuit.

Being the victim of a car break-in can be daunting. There are many things to consider if your car has been broken into.

These include not only insurance related concerns and the lost items, but also safety concerns. For example, leaving mail or other items with your address in your car can lead would-be thieves to your home when your car is parked elsewhere (i.e., when you're not home).

So, a car break-in can involve not only your automobile insurance but also your homeowner's insurance.

If you're a rookie at filing an insurance claim after a car accident, you might have no idea what you're doing.

As you head into unfamiliar territory, know that these waters are not uncharted. Many before you have filed insurance claims and there are processes in place for this type of thing.

Here are a few tips on filing an insurance claim, to make the whole process easier.