Accident Injury Lawyers Say You Should Do 5 Things After a Wreck
Most accident injury lawyers hear stories every week about how a wreck came out of nowhere. You’re running errands, maybe singing along to the radio, and suddenly you hear a bang, and you jolt forward in your seat. You’ve been hit by a car. It’s a scary few moments, filled with wondering what happened, who hit you, and most importantly – are you and everyone else OK.
Things happen quickly after a car accident, and understandably you could be shaken – or even injured. However, it’s important to follow certain steps to ensure your safety and to also gather the right evidence for a potential lawsuit against the driver who hit you.
Accident Injury Lawyers Suggest these 5 Steps After a Wreck
Make sure you take these five steps after an accident:
- Seek medical treatment: If you or anyone else in your vehicle is injured – even if it seems minor – make sure you seek medical treatment. Even the smallest accidents can lead to serious injuries, so don’t take a fender-bender lightly. Make sure all injuries are evaluated by a professional. This will ensure your well-being, as well as give you medical documentation of any injuries you sustained for a potential claim.
- Stay at the scene of the accident: After even a minor accident, you must stay at the scene. The only exception is if you are seriously injured and leave via an ambulance to seek medical treatment. Staying at the scene allows you to give your statement to the authorities and prevents the other person involved in the accident from claiming you fled the scene and were part of a hit-and-run.
- Call the police: It can seem scary to get the police involved in a car accident – especially if it’s a minor accident – but it’s necessary. A police officer can get the needed testimonials from all parties and will gather the evidence. He or she will compile an accident report that you can use with your insurance company, and in a potential lawsuit.
- Get the person’s information: In addition to giving the police officer your contact information and your insurance information, you should also exchange information with the other parties involved in the accident. This will allow you to file an insurance claim before the accident report is ready. Some key information you should get includes the person’s name, phone number, drivers’ license number, license plate number, and insurance information (including the policy number). You should also get the contact information for any witnesses to the accident. This will help if the insurance company needs to contact them, or if you need their testimony for your lawsuit.
- Take photos of the scene and damage: Take photos of the accident site – including how the cars are positioned, any traffic control devices, street signs, anything that will help explain what happened. You should also take photos of the damage each vehicle sustained.
After you follow these steps immediately after the accident, if you were injured you should then find experienced accident injury lawyers to represent you in filing a lawsuit against the driver who caused the accident.
If you suffered an injury in a car accident, contact the accident injury attorneys at Gallagher & Kennedy at 602-530-8400. We care about our clients and are committed to using our skills, work ethic and resources to help you or your family obtain compensation and justice.