Immediate Steps to Take After a Car Accident
February 22, 2022 | Adriel B. Villarreal
Getting into a car accident is stressful and scary, but taking the proper steps following the crash makes all the difference, especially when it comes time to deal with the insurance companies. After you’ve gathered yourself and taken a few deep breaths, the next steps are crucial and will ensure your personal injury legal defense has the upper hand. Continue reading to learn how to make the process easier when it comes time to talk with insurance companies.
Medical Attention
The first step should always be ensuring all parties involved in the accident are safe and receiving the necessary medical attention. If you don’t have a cell phone near you, make sure a pedestrian nearby calls 911. Next, if there are no notable injuries, any vehicles that are blocking traffic should be moved to the side of the road.
Take Detailed Notes
Taking detailed notes will ensure clear, concise records of the events. Sometimes it may take months for insurance companies to wrap up your case, and without a clear recollection of the accident, you may miss vital details. To ensure your notes cover the necessary information, make sure they include:
- Pre-Accident Details – These notes should include where you were headed to; both the direction and location, what direction the other vehicle involved in the accident was coming from, the weather conditions, nearby roadwork, animal disruptions, and faulty stoplights.
- Vehicle Damages – Note all damages that occurred, on both your vehicle and any other vehicles involved. And the more details you can provide, the better. Notice what the damages look like, even if it’s a few small cracks. The best way to accurately document the damages is to take out your cell phone and get pictures of everything at the scene, including pieces that have fallen off the cars.
- Any Car and Driver Information – Be sure to record the license plate numbers, the vehicle make and model, and the driver’s license number of the other driver(s) involved. Also, write down the police officer’s name, department, and badge numbers once they are on scene.
- Injuries – Note what injuries you’ve sustained that don’t need medical attention and note the ones that do. If anyone else involved in the accident is willing to give that information, it should be documented as well.
- Eyewitness Witnesses Reports – If there are witnesses, suggest they stay nearby until a police officer arrives and can take their report of the accident. You should also get any witnesses’ contact information, should the insurance companies or police officers want to contact them further.
Taking notes after an accident can help save you time and money as you deal with insurance companies in your personal injury case. If you still have questions after reading our blog, the personal injury attorneys at Barna, Guzy & Steffen are ready to assist.