Being in a car accident can be nerve-wracking. Even if you escape without an injury, you’ll likely be rattled and you won’t be thinking clearly. For this reason, you need to have a post-accident action plan to carry out — and you should write it down and keep it in your glove box.
At The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman, after representing countless victims of car accidents, we have put together the following steps that everyone should consider taking immediately following an auto collision:
— Get medical care: The first thing to do after an accident is to check for injuries. Call 911 and ask for an ambulance to attend to yourself and anyone else who is injured.
— Stay where you are: You could get in serious trouble if you leave the scene of an auto collision, even a minor one. Always stay where you are and wait for authorities to arrive.
— Protect the crash site: The condition of the crash site is essential to make sure that police can piece together who was at fault. If your vehicle is in danger of causing another accident, you can move it. Otherwise, leave things as they are, and set up road flares or traffic cones to alert other drivers that may be passing by.
— Contact the police: Even if no one is injured, you should call the police for an evaluation of the accident site.
— Keep a record of what happened: Take pictures, take notes and keep a record of everything that happened before, during and after the crash. In addition, take pictures of any injuries you may have suffered.
— Get contact information: Exchange contact information for everyone involved in the accident, including police. Also, write down the license plate numbers of the other vehicles in the crash.
— Call your insurance company: Be sure to notify your insurance company of the accident and what happened.
As a final step, you may want to reach out to a personal injury lawyer. The lawyers at The Law Offices of Locklin & Coleman can help you protect your right to seek financial compensation after you suffer a serious injury due to another driver’s unlawful activity or negligence.
