What should you do after a car accident?
Car accidents can happen at times, and the most important thing is to stay calm and maintain your composure. It’s extremely important to know what steps to follow after the accident happens, and how to ensure everything is safe for everyone. If you’re not sure what you should do after a car accident, here are the steps to focus on.
Check for any injuries
Before you talk with a Greenville car accident attorney, it’s very important to check if you/the passengers have any injuries. Call 911 right away, and avoid moving any of the injured persons, unless you have a fire or immediate danger nearby.
Calling the police is the next thing you want to do. It’s mandatory to call the police in the case of property damage or any injuries. Even if you are dealing with a small accident, it makes sense to have a police report. Stay truthful and explain everything that happened, with all details that you remember.
Document the scene
It’s crucial to try and acquire as much evidence as you possibly can. Take photos and record videos featuring the license plates, road conditions, traffic signs, injuries, vehicle damage and so on. That evidence will become crucial in the case of a trial, so it’s a very good idea to try and acquire all the evidence that you can.
You also want to exchange information with the other driver. You should have their license number, vehicle registration info, contact and name info, along with the policy number and insurance company. Stay polite, but avoid being apologetic, nor should you discuss whose fault it is. Everything you say can be recorded, and it might become evidence later on.
Speak with the witnesses
Talking with any witness that saw the accident also helps. You want to have their names, contact info and a statement of what they saw. It helps if you have witnesses, because it will make it easier for the judge or jury to decide what happened and how to tackle the situation.
Talk to the insurance company
Once you perform all those important tasks, it’s crucial to talk with the insurance provider as well. You should tell them the date and location of the accident, share photos and a police report, if one is available. It’s imperative to talk with your attorney and insurance provider before you share any recorded statement with the other driver.
Seek any medical attention as well. If you were injured, it’s important to talk with a doctor within the next 2 days at most. What you have to realize is that certain injuries won’t show symptoms on the spot, it might take a while until you see any of the issues.
Get a copy of the police report and talk with an attorney
It’s imperative to hire an attorney and ensure that you go through the right steps, as you prepare for a potential trial. If the accident involves significant damage, injuries, a fault dispute or a hit and run, it makes sense to talk with an attorney. And, of course, you want to obtain the police report or at least a copy of it, usually that can be acquired from the DMV or the police station. In the meantime, track any repairs and expenses, all bills including anything related to medical expenses as well.
Things you shouldn’t do after a car accident
As you can see, it’s very important to have legal representation, but you also need to understand what kind of things you want to avoid doing after a car accident. It’s very difficult to make a wrong step here, and that could lead to some serious consequences. Here’s what you want to avoid doing:
- Maybe the most important thing is to not admit any faulty on the accident’s scene. If there are witnesses or someone recorded you, it will be very hard to prove your innocence, since you admitted you’re at fault.
- You also want to stay on the scene. Don’t perform a hit and run, that’s a crime on its own and it’s punishable by law.
- Always tend to your injuries, even if they feel minor. Sometimes, minor injuries can become serious ones if they are unattended, so keep that in mind.
- Avoid any type of quick settlement. You want to have a good understanding of all damages, be it car repairs, medical bills and so on. Sometimes, there will be people that want to settle fast, to avoid more expenses down the line.
- Make sure that you talk with the insurance company as quickly as possible, so they know about the situation.
Conclusion
These are all the steps you want to follow after you’re involved in a car accident. Clearly, a car accident can be a traumatic experience, but it’s important to follow these guidelines and procedures. You need to work with a legal professional as it will help prevent any issues down the line. And, on top of that, you need to stay at the scene of the car accident, accumulate evidence and tend to your wounds!
