What To Do After A Car Accident

1. CHECK FOR INJURIES

Ultimately, this is the most important thing to do. Stop your car after the auto accident and turn off your engine. If you're not injured or you're not too hurt to move, check on the other passengers in your car. If anyone's injured, get call 911 or ask someone else to do so. If you're seriously injured, try not to move, and wait for emergency personnel. Do not forget to make sure that it is safe before exiting your car.

2. GET TO SAFETY

If a car poses a safety threat to other traffic after an auto accident, you should move it if the car can be moved and you are in a condition to move it, move to the side of the road or a sidewalk.

3. CALL 911

Whether an accident is considered a minor fender-bender or a major collision, calling the police is important. You may need both the police and an ambulance and the responding officers will fill out an accident report and document the scene. If the police can't come to the scene of the accident, go to the nearest police station and complete a report yourself. When you file a claim with your insurer, they may ask for a copy of the police report to help with the claims proceed.

4. EXCHANGE INFORMATION

After making sure you and any passengers are uninjured, exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver. According to the III, here's the most important information drivers should exchange after an accident:

• Full name, address and home telephone phone number
• Insurance company and policy number
• Employer and work phone,
• Driver's license and license plate number
• Type, color and model of vehicle
• Registered owner's name
• Location of accident
• Driver's injuries or pain complaints, and
• Any statements the driver makes to you about the accident.

It is hard and you are upset or mad or feeling one of the thousand emotions you feel when you are in an accident but try to not discuss fault when going over the facts with the other driver. When you file an insurance claim, the adjuster reviewing your claim will determine who's at fault based on an inspection of the vehicles/property damaged, information provided by you and the other parties involved in the accident, and any supporting documentation, like the police report or photographs from the scene.

5. DOCUMENT THE ACCIDENT

In order to help protect yourself, the III recommends taking the following steps:

• Identify the officers.
      Once the police arrive, get the name and badge number of all responding officers.
• Get a copy.
      Ask the police officers present where you can obtain a copy of the accident report. Your insurer may ask for a copy of the report when you      file a car insurance claim.
• Take pictures.
      Document the accident thoroughly by taking pictures of your vehicle from different angles, showing the damage done to both cars. It might also be a good idea to take pictures of the other car's license plate. Photographs of the damage to vehicles are often a tremendous help in preparing your personal injury case. I
• Take down names.
      Write down the names and addresses of all parties involved, including any passengers in the other vehicle.
• Talk to witnesses.
      If there were any witnesses to the accident, take down their names and their contact information, as well.

6. SEE YOUR DOCTOR

If you are not removed from the scene of the accident by ambulance, make sure that you go to an emergency room or a physician for an evaluation immediately. You may feel perfectly fine right after an accident, but some injuries become apparent only after a day or two. You can sustain serious head or spinal injuries from a minor impact, so visit your doctor if you experience pain or unusual symptoms.

Injuries resulting from a crash are usually included in your auto insurance claim, so it's important to document any physical harm stemming from the accident.

7. CALL AN ATTORNEY

Consider contacting an auto accident attorney and turning over your documents and pictures to your attorney. Some personal injury claims can be settled without attorney representation, but laws related to accident injuries are complex and change frequently. The insurance company will not explain anything to you that helps you. An attorney represents your interests. 

Contact our office to schedule a free car accident consultation. We can discuss your options for receiving compensation for your injuries.