“What should I do after a car accident?”

I often get asked by our clients,  “What should I do after a car accident?” Often I wished I could have advised our clients prior to an incident.  In most cases A car accident is a highly traumatic incident, but it’s important to handle the moments immediately following the accident with a level head. Your first reaction may be to jump out of your car and apologize or possibly scream at the other driver. Both actions are undesirable. Remain calm and polite; never admit fault or get into a heated argument with the other people involved in the crash.

After an accident occurs, get out of the flow of traffic if possible. However, never try to drive your car if you’ve suffered severe injuries or if extensive damage to the vehicle has occurred. Even if you’re dealing only with aches and pains, it’s important to see a medical professional after a car accident has taken place. Make sure to get a copy of any documentation from this visit, including doctor’s notes. This is especially important if you’ll need long-term treatment, such as physical therapy, as a result of the crash.

Even if the accident was very minor, you’ll still need to file a police report. You’ll also want to document the scene of the accident as closely as possible. This means taking photographs of any damage to your car, as well as pictures of the scene of the accident itself. If there were any witnesses, gather their contact information before they leave the scene. Don’t forget to exchange contact information and insurance details with the other driver. While this may seem like a fairly obvious point, some people get so caught up or overwhelmed that they forget to do this.

Once these initial steps are taken care of, you’ll want to make contact with a reputable lawyer who can help you proceed. Your attorney will handle communication with the authorities and the other people involved in the crash, and can take much of the stress and anxiety out of the days and weeks following the accident. If you’ve been harmed in a car accident, contact us today to find out how we can help you.