A good deal of chaos surrounds a vehicle crash, even if it is only a minor accident.
If you are the injured victim of a crash, you want justice. What steps can you take after the accident to help your own cause?
Take charge
Check yourself for injuries, then see to the condition of anyone else involved in the crash. If there are injuries, call 911 to request the help of emergency medical personnel. Next, call the police to report the crash. If the vehicles are operational, move them to the side of the road so they do not block traffic. While you wait for the professionals to arrive, call your insurance agency and your attorney to inform them of the accident.
Record information
Use your cellphone to take pictures of the crash site, the damage to vehicles and the damage to other objects, such as mailboxes, guardrails or trees. Draw a diagram of the scene showing the direction in which each vehicle was traveling. While the details are fresh in your mind, jot down notes about the accident, including the time of the crash, the weather conditions, the condition of the road and anything else you think might be important.
Limit conversation
Exchange insurance information with the other driver but keep the conversation to a minimum. The less said, the better. If asked, do not say that you feel “all right,” but rather say that you plan to seek medical attention. Do not discuss the cause of the accident or who might be at fault. You should only discuss this with your attorney.