If you’ve been the victim of an auto accident, it can feel overwhelming to try and figure out all the things you need to do to start moving forward with your accident claim. As an auto accident attorney, by the time I speak with someone who has been in an auto accident, it is often too late to gather all the necessary information needed to have the most complete case file. That often means they may miss out on the settlement they deserve. That’s why I wanted to create this list of the 5 Must Do’s Right After You Suffer Auto Accident Injuries. If these steps are taken, most uncertainties and conflicting details will not arise. These steps are fairly simple and easy to apply.
Indispensable, 5 Must Do’s Right After You Suffer Auto Accident Injuries
1) Get all witness contact info.
If there were any witnesses to your auto accident, get all their contact info. it is very important that you do that, as you must give it to your insurance and the police. Your auto accident attorney may also need to get in touch with witnesses to find out more details. In the case that you are injured badly in an accident, you may be unable to get to the witnesses. What you may be able to do is ask someone at the scene to help you gather the information needed. A name, phone number, and even an email address are all important to collect.
2) Take photos of the scene and damages to the car
The second of the 5 must do’s right after you suffer auto accident injuries helps a lot. When you get photos of the scene and damages to your car, you help to solidify the facts of your case. It also provides a time stamp of when the accident occurred. Let’s say the other driver came around a corner and failed to stop at the stop sign posted. It would be a good idea to snap a shot of the stop sign showing it was in clear view of where the driver was coming from. It is also a good idea to take plenty of images of the damage to your vehicle. These will provide clear references for you, your attorney and the insurance adjusters.
3) Get the other party’s name, address, phone number, Ins., license plate and DL #
Getting the other driver’s information is definitely a must do. It may indeed be the first thing you do. It will be information you should hand over to your insurance, the police and your car accident attorney. If the other party is hesitant to give you this information, you can have a police officer at the scene help. They can gather it up. You have a legal right to this information. Don’t be afraid to get help obtaining it if needed.
4) Seek medical attention immediately
If you have been injured in any way, quickly seek medical attention. Many injuries will take time to fully show up, and if you delay treatment you could end up with more serious injuries, or longer recovery times. Remember, even if you aren’t sure if you have been seriously injured, treat this step as one of the 5 must do’s right after you suffer auto accident injuries. It’s better to be safe than sorry. It is always a good idea to see a doctor and make sure you are okay.
5) Contact an attorney
If you’ve been injured in an auto accident, please contact an attorney as soon as possible. Find out if they can help you get a settlement on your case. As an auto accident attorney in San Diego CA, I work on contingency for my clients. That means I get paid only if and when you do. There is no obligation to find out if I can help you with your car accident case. Please reach out to me today. I want to get you the settlement you deserve and see you back at the level of health you experienced prior to your accident.
If you’d like to speak with me and find out how I can help, please give me a call at 619.623.4321.