If you have been injured in a car accident, there are two primary things you need to do: call 911 and seek necessary medical treatment.
A car accident is traumatic and can be a life-changing event. Whether you are seriously injured or it’s seemingly only in a “fender-bender,” the events that will follow the accident can be difficult, expensive and frustrating.
What do I do after a crash?
When it’s possible and it does not compromise your safety, you should try to do the following:
- Call for help. This is by far the most important thing to do following a car accident.
- Get out of harm’s way. Make sure you are in a safe location while you wait for help to arrive. Unless your car is upside down or on fire, the safest place is usually inside your car.
- Take pictures of the damage to your vehicle and the other vehicle(s) before they are towed and get the business card for the tow truck driver.
- Take pictures of any visible injuries: cuts, bruises, burns, torn clothing, etc.
- Get witness information. If you happen to speak with anyone who witnessed the accident, take down their names and contact information;
- Get the name of the police officer, the police department that s/he is with, and any case report number;
- Get the other driver’s information: car insurance information, drivers license, address, contact info
- Tell the police officer that you were in an accident and are in need of medical treatment. You can follow up with a statement as to what happened. Once you consult an attorney and had time to process the sequence of events that led to your collision, you will be able to more comfortably tell the officer what happened.
- Document your recovery. Following your accident, you may feel new symptoms every day. It is important that you continue to seek medical treatment to address your injuries and to document the chronology of your pain.
Contact Logan Vance Sullivan & Kores LLP, to help you through this situation.
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