Five Steps to Take if You’re in a Serious Car Accident
No one wants to be a victim of a car accident. Unfortunately, car accidents are quite common. In 2017, about 4.57 million people experienced serious injuries in car accidents. To minimize the impact of your accident, follow these five steps.
1. Check Yourself and Your Passengers for Injuries
Before you do anything, you should check yourself and your passengers for injuries. It’s important to get medical attention for any possible injuries.
After the accident, you might feel fine. But that doesn’t mean anything. You could have injuries of which you are unaware. Even seemingly minor injuries can be serious. Some people don’t realize they have issues like whiplash until long after the accident. If you want to be on the safe side, you should call emergency services and have EMTs check everyone.
After you check everyone, get to safety. You should move away from the vehicle and away from other traffic. If your vehicle is on fire, you need to move as far away as possible.
2. Call the Police
Whether or not there are injuries, you should call the police. By law, you need to notify the police of an accident if the following occurs:
- Injury or death
- A driver fled the scene
- The damaged vehicle needs a tow truck
- A commercial vehicle was involved
However, you should call the police regardless of the severity of the incident. Even minor fender benders can benefit from police presence. The police write up an accident report that can help you get compensation for your damages and injuries.
3. Exchange Information with the Other Driver
After emergency services are on the way, you should exchange information with the other driver. Be sure to collect the driver’s name, phone number, and address. You should also write down his insurance provider and the policy number.
Finally, record information about the other vehicle. Include the make, model, and color of the car. All of this information can help you file an insurance claim. The more information you have, the greater your chance of a successful claim.
4. Document the Details
There are other details that you should record. If there are any other passengers in the vehicle or witnesses of the accident, get their names and contact information. They might have information regarding the accident that can help you.
You should also record the names of the police officers who came to the scene of the accident. After they write the incident report, ask them for a copy of it.
Use your smartphone to take pictures of the scene. Include photos of the vehicle damage, location of the accident, and street signs.
Finally, you should document the accident in your own words. You can forget key details of your accident quickly. By writing down the details, you can create a permanent record of the events that led up to the accident.
5. Call Your Lawyer
After an accident, everything can seem overwhelming. Contact a car accident lawyer in Fort Lauderdale immediately and learn how to handle the accident. With the help of your lawyer, you can check off all the right boxes. Whether or not you were at fault for the incident, a lawyer can make a difference.