6 Steps to Take Immediately After a Motor Vehicle Accident

Immediately after a car accident, there are many things you should do. First, check yourself and others for injuries.

Do not apologize at the scene. You may be in pain, but the full extent of your injuries might not immediately appear.

Exchange information with the other driver(s). Get their name, contact information, license plate number, and insurance policy number.

Check Your Injuries

Often, injury symptoms do not manifest themselves until hours or even days after the accident. This can be caused by everything from adrenaline-masking pain to swelling near the injury site.

If you can move your car away from traffic and set up hazard lights or reflective emergency triangles, do so. It will help to prevent an enormous traffic jam and will also be helpful in the investigation of the crash.

Seek medical attention and document any new or worsening symptoms. Your medical records will be crucial to establishing a connection between your symptoms and the car accident. This evidence will strengthen your case regarding claiming compensation from the other driver’s insurance company.

Report the Accident

Some states require that you call the police if the crash is severe enough. Even if not, a police report can help you when it comes to filing an insurance claim.

Ensure you get the name and badge number of the officer responding to the accident. You may also ask for the police report number if one is available.

Remember that whatever you say to the officer at the accident scene could be used against you later. It’s not uncommon for people to change their stories after a car accident, so be careful what you say.

Exchange Information

Even if you feel fine after an accident, scheduling an appointment with your doctor is essential. They can check your condition and order any tests if necessary.

Ensure to get all involved drivers’ names, insurance information, and driver’s license numbers. It’s also a good idea to ask for the vehicle information, including year, model, color, and other defining characteristics.

It’s also a good idea to get eyewitness names and contact information. Their testimony can be critical for your motor vehicle accident case. Be cautious, however, as some negligent parties may be reluctant to give out their information and may try to leave the scene.

Take Photos

When you’re at the accident scene, taking photos of everything is important. This will help you preserve essential details that may become fuzzy in your memory later.

Prioritize taking pictures of the vehicles, especially from close-ups and angles. It’s also a good idea to photograph the license plates of each car involved in the crash.

It would be best if you also took wide shots showing each vehicle’s location and any other objects at the scene. Taking multiple scene angles can help insurers understand what happened in the crash. This can avoid disagreements later.

Notify Your Insurance Company

Immediately after a crash, you should check yourself and your passengers for injuries. Then, if it’s safe to do so, try to move your vehicle off the road and out of traffic. Put on your hazard lights and consider putting out orange cones or reflective triangles around the scene to warn approaching drivers.

Then, exchange information with the other driver(s). Get their name, insurance company policy number, and a general description of their car and license plate number. Talk to witnesses as well. Their testimony can be vital in determining fault and damages.

Talk to an Attorney

If you are in a crash involving serious injuries, speaking to an attorney is a good idea. A personal injury lawyer can help you deal with the insurance company and ensure you are not making statements that could later hurt your case.

It’s crucial to stay at the scene of the accident if possible. Check yourself and any passengers for injuries. It’s also a good idea to get the names, contact information, license plate numbers, and basic car insurance policy information of anyone at the accident scene.

It’s also a good idea to talk to witnesses so that they can give an eyewitness account of what happened.