10 Things to Do (and NOT do) Immediately After Being Involved in a Car Accident
Sometimes we are asked what a person should do immediately after a car accident to make their case better. Many times, especially in catastrophic car accidents, a person is not medically able to do much which is completely understandable and a skilled car accident attorney will be able to make the claim anyway. However, if you are medically able, you should consider the following:
- STOP – Do NOT Venture Too Far From the Scene
Leaving the scene of an accident is not a good idea. Stop in a safe area and immediately call the police. Do this regardless of whether the person that caused the accident stays or not. - Call the Police – DO NOT Leave Without a Police Report
Never leave without a police report. The negligent person may offer you money, promise they have “great insurance,” or promise to pay your medical bills and damage to your car. These promises are completely unenforceable as a practical matter and you need to get a police report. - Call 911 and Seek Immediate Medical Treatment
Delays and gaps in medical treatment are often the greatest threat to an otherwise great car accident case. Always seek medical attention immediately. If you are unable to ride in the ambulance, make sure you seek emergency medical care within 24 hours of the accident. - Obtain Insurance Information from the Other Party
If at all possible, find out who the careless driver is insured by. This can speed things along for your car accident attorney when he/she attempts to set up a claim. - Obtain the Addresses, Phone Numbers and Names of Any Witnesses
People often show up to accident scenes and leave. It is a common problem. If anyone approaches you at the scene and states that they saw what happened, immediately get their name, address and phone number. Make sure you provide this information to the police at the scene as well. You will often take more interest in preserving the evidence in your case than anyone else, including the police. - Contact Our Experienced Car Accident Attorneys
Do not delay calling us. This is our craft and personal injury is all that we do. We can assist you with preserving evidence, making insurance claims and getting you medical attention. We develop a strategy for every case and do not hesitate to contact us 24/7. - If an Insurance Adjuster Calls You, DO NOT Talk to Them
The calls are recorded. The car insurance adjuster on the other end of the line is paid, promoted and evaluated by their supervisors based on how LITTLE they pay in claims. This is just simply a person that you cannot honestly trust and you need a competent car wreck lawyer to handle this for you. - Do NOT Make Posts on Any Social Media About Your Accident
Facebook is the devil in these cases. Do NOT post photos, comments or statements on social media about your case. Something as simple as reassuring a family member that you are “doing fine” after an accident in the comments can completely derail your case. In the experience of our car accident attorneys, one of the first questions that insurance defense attorneys ask injury victims in court is did they make any social media posts following the accident. Mr. Ferguson has stated, “There is a bright line rule here – no social media posts about your accident, ever, under any circumstances.” - If you Have a Dash Camera on Your Car, Download all Videos and Send to Your Attorney
More and more motorists are using interior and exterior cameras. This is especially true of those who may work part-time for rideshare companies like Lyft and Uber. If you have one of these cameras, immediately download all videos and send them to our car wreck lawyers. - Be Cautious of “Legal Advice” Received from Friends, Family and Co-Workers
“I have seen this my entire career. The advice is either exactly what the injury victim wants to hear or the sky is falling. You need a strategy, not what may have worked or not worked for a friend in the past.” – Jason Ferguson
In the experience of our car accident attorneys, injury victims are often misled by friends, family, co-workers or other loved-ones about what to do following an accident. For whatever the reason, people close to the injury victim tend to provide off-the-cuff , inexperienced “legal advice” as to what the injury victim should or should not do. Most of the time this advice is damaging to the injury victim’s case even though the person providing the advice may mean well. We are available 24/7 and it costs nothing to speak with us. Our car accident attorneys expect and routinely speak with trusted friends, spouses, parents or other loved-ones who have an injury victim’s well-being in mind. Let us talk to them and let’s come up with a specific, guided legal strategy for dealing with your case that you can count on.