A car, truck, or motorcycle accident can be a very confusing and certainly frustrating time. Your car may be damaged to the point where it’s undriveable, you may be hurting, and you may not know what to do, or what you should do. This information applies to car, truck, and motorcycle accidents. Knowing what steps to take can be important for both, medical and property damage claims.
First and foremost, if you, the other party, or any passengers are seriously injured, call 911.
What you should do after any Accident
1. Stay at the Scene
Never leave the accident scene unless you are taken away by an ambulance or released by law enforcement. Leaving the scene of an accident, especially one involving injuries or significant property damage, can result in criminal charges. If you feel unsafe, stay in your car with the doors locked until law enforcement arrives.
2. Make the Scene Safe
If the vehicles are drivable, move them out of traffic to prevent further accidents. Turn on your hazard lights. If you have cones or flares, use them. In some areas, its the law to move out of the flow of traffic if you are able to.
3. Call the Police Even for Minor Accidents
Calling the police is a mistake that some people make. I cant tell you how many clients i have seen that did not call the police because it was a minor fender bender. What occurs is the at fault party wont contact there insurance company to let them know about the accident.
When you call, they have no idea what is going on. This will add about 30 days to a claim, if you even have one. The reason you may not have a claim, is because you don’t have a police report. So always call the police.
4. Exchange Information
Exchanging information is a good idea, however, some people are not willing or become combative. If this is the case, just wait for the police to arrive. They will get the information and it will be on the police report. Unfortunately you may have to wait a few days before the police report is ready so you can find out the auto insurance details, and who you need to call to file a claim.
Collect the following from the other driver:
- Name and contact information
- Driver’s license number
- License plate number
- Insurance company and policy number
- Make, model, and color of the vehicle
- If there are witnesses, politely ask for their names and contact information. Neutral witnesses can be extremely helpful if there’s a dispute in liability, or the insurance company is not being reasonable.
5. Document Everything
Why should you document as much as you can, well, if your like me, you forget. And some minor details that you could have gotten a picture of could make a big difference in a personal injury case. When in doubt, just take a lot pictures.
Use your phone to take photos and videos of:
- Damage to all vehicles
- The accident scene
- Road and weather conditions
- Traffic signs or signals
- Any visible injuries
The more documentation you have, the better. Photos preserve details your memory won’t.
6. Avoid Admitting Fault
Some people are really passive and for lack of a better word, too nice. Now is not the time to be the nice person. I’m not saying you need to be aggressive, but never say you’re sorry. I know that’s not in some peoples DNA to apologize for a bad situation, especially if they feel they did something wrong. Don’t admit fault, even if you think you had something to do with the accident. Just stick with the facts when speaking with the police. Let them determine who is at fault for the accident.
7. See a Doctor
Many patients feel perfectly fine the day of the accident. However, soft tissue injuries such as whiplash may not show symptoms until hours, or even days later. Adrenaline is a powerful, short-acting hormone that acts as a natural pain suppressant by triggering the “fight-or-flight” response. It masks pain and boosts alertness during emergencies, allowing individuals to endure extreme injury without realizing they are hurt. This will wear off after some time. Always call a doctor and go get checked out. You can call us or find one in our doctor locator.
8. Notify Your Insurance Company
There is a twist to this, you may want to speak with an attorney first. However, in some States that offer PIP or no fault benefits, you need to call them and get the claim rolling. If you live in a non pip state, your insurance company still needs to be put on notice that you had an accident, even if you were not at-fault.
You may have med pay on your policy that you can use to pay for your doctors visits. Or even worse, the other driver does not have an insurance and the claim will have to go through your UM coverage. If your insurance wants a recorded statement, stick strictly to the facts and when in doubt, speak with an attorney.
8. Keep Records
You should keep up with everything to do with your accident. If your like me, you’re not use keeping up with things. However, after an accident you are going to have some unwanted expenses you definitely will want to keep track of. Again, we tend to forget the small details, so when you save everything, you will remember, and than can make a big difference. You will impress the adjuster and your attorney if you are well organized and have a detailed account of all your expenditures.
Create a digital folder or a physical folder for:
- Medical bills
- Rental car fees
- Repair estimates
- Receipts for medications
- Lost wages
- Communication with insurance companies
Having all this information ready to go on a moments notice can make the process a whole lot smoother. You may even wat to start a diary and keep track of how the accident has effected your daily routine.
9. Consider Speaking With an Attorney
I know some people get a little nervous when we talk about attorneys. Attorneys do provide insight into the accident and know the laws. If you are hurt, we highly recommend you speak with an attorney. Every personal injury attorney i know gives free consultations for personal injury cases.
If there is a dispute in liability or the insurance company is not being fair on the property damage claim, they certainly are not going to be fair for the injury claim. So, do yourself a favor and take advantage of a free consultation. The attorney may provide information or insights that you did not know about or point to things you can do now, that will help you later.
10. Take Care of Yourself
Accidents can be stressful. You may feel anxiety or have emotional or mental stress. Make sure to take care yourself mentally, emotionally and physically. We can handle the physical pain through our doctors network and we can certainly point you in the right direction for emotional or mental help. We have started our virtual Orthopedic and Medical services and are adding virtual counseling and psychiatric care.
Conclusion
In the moments following an accident, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, but having a clear plan can put you ease and make the process much smoother. I need you to remember that not all injuries are obvious right away, this is why we say always call the doctor fist. Accidents are a bad experience for all of those involved. Stay safe, and we are here to help you in anyway we can.
