Being involved in a car accident is an unfortunate occurrence. You may have casually been driving home from work one day when the next thing you know, you are rear-ended by the car following you. There may not be any serious injuries, but you still experience an inconvenience. You may be inclined to rush the claims process so that you can get on with your life but it is important that you don’t. What you do immediately after an accident will decide what happens in the future.
As soon as you realize that you were involved in an accident, stop your vehicle immediately and call the ambulance if you have any injuries. It is vital to have that you have on record that you requested medical attention immediately. Even if you do not appear to be hurt, you should still be evaluated by a physician. You following steps should be to:
Collect Personal Information
If you are not injured, you should get out of your car and analyze the damage. Go speak with the other driver(s) involved and collect their personal information. The information should include:
- Names
- Addresses
- License numbers
- Car registrations
- Insurance details
- Full vehicle descriptions
Be sure to completely fill out this information for it will be necessary to report the claim to your insurance company. The more details you have about the accident and what led up to it, the better.
Seek Witnesses
Witnesses can be the biggest help in proving fault in an accident. When you locate witnesses, collect their personal information and have them provide a written account of what they observed. Make sure not to explain your view of the accident to them as any outside information can skew their recollection of the accident. If they refuse to provide you with their personal information, record their license plate numbers to provide to police officers when they arrive.
Call Police
As you wait for the police to arrive on the scene, take some notes for yourself. Your notes should include: time, location, weather, damage, road conditions, and number of vehicles. You can also detail what happened before, during, and after the accident.
Once the police arrive, jot down the officers’ names, badge numbers, and departments. Make sure not to accept or decline fault for the accident and to only provide them with your license number, insurance information, and registration of the other driver(s) involved in the accident.
Get an Attorney
Make sure to report the accident to the insurance company once you leave the scene of the accident and immediately get in touch with a car accident attorney. Allow the experienced attorneys at E. Orum Young Law Office to fully commit to your car accident case. We are well versed in local traffic laws and can help you seek compensation for your losses. We do not rest until you are satisfied and will go to court on your behalf should that be desired. Contact us today at (318) 599-0601 for a free case evaluation.
