What to Do When You're Involved in a Car Accident

When you’re involved in a car accident, it’s essential to follow certain steps. If you don’t, it may complicate your case and make it harder to receive compensation for your injuries or damages to your vehicle. Here’s what you should do after a car accident to protect yourself from liability and make sure you get the help you need from an auto accident lawyer

Stay at the Scene

If you are involved in an accident, you should stay at the scene until law enforcement arrives. If you need medical attention and want to go for help, dial 911 first. If your vehicle is blocking traffic or causing safety issues, call a tow truck or contact the local police department for assistance with moving your vehicle from the road. Make sure that someone stays on the scene at all times.

#1: Contacting Your Auto Insurance Company If you have auto insurance coverage, contact your insurance company as soon as possible after an accident (or even before) and give them all of the information they need about what happened, who was involved, any witnesses who may have seen it happen, etc.

Check for Injuries

If you have been involved in a car accident, the first thing you should do is check for any injuries. If you are not injured, but the other driver appears to be injured, call 911. If you are injured, get help from someone who can assist without worsening your condition. There is no reason to move if it can cause further injury or delay help. 

If there were any witnesses or if there was damage to either vehicle, note that information as well. The police may need this information when they arrive at the scene of the accident.

Call the Police

It's important that you call the police and stay at the scene of an accident until they arrive. This will help ensure that all parties involved are protected by the law. If anyone is injured, they should get medical attention immediately. And, if your car was damaged or stolen, it's crucial that you report it to the police. It's also a good idea to take some photos of your vehicle and any damage before you leave the scene so you have documentation if there are disagreements about what happened later on down the road.

Exchange Information

If you are involved in an accident, the first thing you need to do is exchange information with the other driver(s). Be sure to get his or her name and phone number, as well as insurance information. In addition, be sure that you have your own insurance information handy. If possible, take a picture of the damage done to both cars and the surrounding area. Lastly, take pictures of any injuries sustained during the accident. Doing these things at once will help minimize confusion and prevent any issues later on.

Take Pictures

A car accident can happen at any time, whether it is in traffic or parked on the side of the road. But what do you do if you are involved in an auto accident? The following information will help get you started with what steps to take after a car accident has occurred.

First and foremost, call 911 immediately. If there is any chance that either person needs medical attention, this should be your first priority. Next, check for any injuries that need immediate attention such as cuts or bruises from glass or other debris from the collision. Then move the vehicles so they are not obstructing traffic and wait for police and emergency personnel to arrive on scene.

Seek Medical Attention

If you were involved in an accident, the first thing you should do is go to the nearest hospital and get checked for injuries. If you don't want to go or can't go, then it's best to call 911 and wait for an ambulance. However, if you have any injuries, it's important that they be treated as soon as possible because they can become more serious over time. It's also important that if there was anyone else involved (i.e., passengers or other drivers) who are experiencing pain or discomfort that they are taken care of too. The sooner any injuries are addressed, the less likely they will become chronic conditions later on down the line.

Speak to an Attorney

You should always call the police if you are involved in an auto accident. If there is any property damage or injuries, you should contact your insurance company as soon as possible. If you are injured, you will need to see a doctor and may want to file for workers' compensation. If someone else was at fault for the accident, you will want to talk with an attorney who specializes in car accidents. The sooner they can get involved, the better chance they have of obtaining all of the necessary evidence and helping victims recover damages from their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and other costs associated with the accident.