Imagine that you are driving in your car and approach a red-light at an intersection. You take your foot off the accelerator and begin breaking in order to come to a complete stop. While waiting for the traffic light to turn green, you see a vehicle approaching you from behind and it doesn’t seem like the vehicle is slowing down for the red-light. As the vehicle continues to approach your vehicle, you brace for impact. The vehicle behind you collides with your car and as the accident occurs, time seems like it is standing still. You’re confused, upset, and angry over what has just happened to you. You’ve just hit your head on the driver’s side window, there is broken glass all over the back of your car, and you have ringing in your ears. You’ve just been involved in a car accident.
What’s next?
Next steps after a car accident
First, you should determine if you and your passengers are hurt. If anyone is hurt, immediately call for medical assistance by dialing 9-1-1 and inform the dispatcher of your and your passenger’s physical condition. Listen to the dispatcher’s instructions and wait for the police and emergency medical services to arrive on the scene. Your health and physical safety are the most important considerations immediately after a motor vehicle accident.
Once you and your passenger(s) have received emergency medical attention, it is important to take time to document the scene with notes and taking photographs with your mobile phone. Your notes can be handwritten, typed, or can be a recorded audio statement on your mobile phone. The notes that you make should include your observations before, during, and after the accident.
You should answer the following questions in your notes:
- Where did the accident occur?
- What time did the accident occur?
- What did you see before the collision?
- What did you hear before the collision?
- Where was your vehicle before the accident occurred?
- Where was the other vehicle before the accident occurred?
- What vehicle were you driving?
- What vehicle was the other driver operating?
- How many passengers were in your vehicle?
- How many passengers were in the other driver’s vehicle?
- What part of your vehicle was impacted by the other vehicle?
- How hard was the impact between the two vehicles?
- Did any part of your body impact the inside of your vehicle? Example: Did your head hit the window or the steering wheel? Did the airbags deploy and impact your face or chest?
- Is any part of your body bruised or cut after the accident?
- What parts of your body are in pain?
- What is the license plate of the vehicle that collided with your car?
- What is the name of the driver of the vehicle that collided with your car?
- What is the name and policy number of the other driver’s motor vehicle insurance company?
- Were there any witnesses to the accident? What are the witnesses’ names, addresses, and phone numbers?
- What are the names of the members of the emergency medical services team that responded to the accident?
- What are the names of the police officers that responded to the scene?
Make sure to take photographs of your vehicle where the collision occurred as well as all around your vehicle noting any other damage that was caused as a result of the accident. Take photographs of the other driver’s vehicle, noting the portion of the vehicle that collided with your car. Finally, take photos of the accident site and surrounding area.
The days after a car accident
Once you have documented the accident, here are some important steps:
- The driver and passenger(s) of the vehicle should schedule medical appointments with a physician. It is important for everyone involved in the car crash to visit their own doctor for a checkup. Even if you were transported to the emergency room (ER) after the accident, it is still critically important to visit your primary care physician.
- Contact your insurance company. By contacting your insurance company, this begins the process of assessing the extent of damage done to your vehicle, as well as arrange for a rental car.
- Speak with an attorney. After a car accident, victims are likely to incur significant expenses such as medical treatment and property damage. It is extremely important for an accident victim to retain competent and experienced legal representation to be fairly compensated for his/her injuries.
After a car accident, whether a fender-bender or a serious life changing event, speaking to an auto-accident attorney is essential to be fully compensated for your current and future medical needs. It is very possible that the full extent of an accident victim’s injuries has not been revealed when an insurance company makes its first settlement offer. To ensure that an accident victim is compensated for his/her potentially chronic pain, loss of enjoyment, and loss of income, it is important to speak to an experienced personal injury attorney.
By speaking to an experienced and knowledgeable personal injury attorney, car accident victims can avoid becoming a victim a second time.
Have you or someone you know been in a motor vehicle accident? Guendelsberger Law Offices is a successful personal injury attorney, that has represented hundreds of victims. Contact us today for a free consultation.