Driving is risky. A traffic accident can happen at any time. In fact, insurance companies expect that you will file a claim for an auto collision about once every 18 years, according to one industry trade association’s estimate for all US drivers. Preparation cannot prevent a traffic accident from happening, but you can follow this checklist in order to help protect your best interests if you are involved in a car accident. As always if you are involved in a car accident, it is imperative that you retain the services of an experienced car accident attorney.
- Be Safe at a Dangerous Accident Scene – The roadways are just as hazardous in the moments after a traffic accident as they are in the moments beforehand. In fact, they’re probably even more so because while your car and any other cars involved in a collision are coming to a standstill, other cars are continuing to pass by at high speed. With this in mind, stop the car as soon as possible. Try not to block traffic. Get yourself and everyone else involved in the collision safely out of the road.
- Call for Help – Call 911 if anyone has been injured. Even if you don’t believe there’s an emergency, or you’re not sure if first responders will visit the scene of the accident, it’s still a good idea to contact the police. That’s because proof of police notification can be an important part of your insurance claim.
- Collect Evidence – If you are able to, begin to collect evidence. Take your time, and collect all the information you can. Collect the names, addresses, telephone numbers, driver’s license numbers, vehicle make and year from all drivers. Get license plate and vehicle identification numbers too. Snap a picture of the license and registration, if you can. You could also note each driver’s age, the vehicle owner, the owner’s address and telephone number, insurance company, policy number, policy expiration date, name of broker-agent, broker-agent’s address, and the nature of damage to the car. After you’ve finished collecting information from all the drivers, look around for any other passengers and anybody who witnessed the collection. Get their names, addresses, and telephone numbers. After a police officer reports to the scene of the accident, collect the officer’s name, officer’s badge number, precinct, and note if a court summons was issued, who received the summons, and the type of violation cited by the officer. Take pictures of the damage, the position of the cars, and the accident scene, especially anything that may have played a factor in the collision.
- Avoid Getting into an Argument – Here’s one thing to avoid: an argument. It’s just not worth it. You probably won’t feel good about it, and you might regret saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Also, don’t sign anything. You might feel pressure to talk about who was at fault for the collision and who’s responsible for damages right away, but it’s not a good idea. Talk to an experienced car accident attorney instead. You’ll be better prepared to discuss the aftermath of a car crash in the days ahead than you could possibly be right at the roadside.
- Get Medical Treatment – Even if you feel fine it is important that you or any loved ones that were passengers during the accident go to a medical facility to get checked out. There could be internal injuries that are unseen that can be diagnosed and additionally there may be injuries that may appear a couple days later after the adrenaline wears off. Your car accident attorney is an excellent source in helping you find the correct medical professionals who deal with car accident victims on a regular basis. They will know what tests to administer and also how to properly document these results to help maximize your car accident claim.
- Call a Car Accident Attorney – If you have not already done so, call an experienced car accident attorney. One of the most important things to do immediately following the accident is to get in touch with an experienced auto accident attorney. Motor vehicle accidents can have many complications, involving numerous people and insurance companies. A skilled attorney will know how to protect your rights, and keep you from getting bullied by any of the parties involved. There are many factors to take into account, and they will know how to make sure you are fully compensated. An experienced car accident attorney will be able to deal with difficult insurance companies, assist you with medical treatment and get that medical treatment paid for without out of pocket expenses and they can assist you in maximizing your claim.
If you need a car accident attorney, then you should call our law offices today at any of our convenient locations and get a free consultation.
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