If you are ever in a car accident, you need to know what to do at the scene of the accident. Knowing what to do at the scene of the accident is crucial; even if you feel and think at the time that everything is okay. Injuries from car accidents are not always apparent right away, which is why you need to make sure that you take any car accident that you are in seriously.
Collect Information
One of the most important things you can do after you have been involved in an accident is to collect information. The information that you collect at the scene of the accident can be crucial in getting the settlement you deserve from either the insurance company or through a personal injury lawsuit.
- Witness Information: The first type of information that you need to collect is witness information. Although it may seem natural to get the driver's information first, they are most likely going to stick around to talk to you; witnesses on the other hand may leave as soon as they see that you are physically okay. Try to get the name and contact information for any witnesses that stop. Their statements can collaborate to help understand what happened to cause the accident, which could be the key to winning your case.
- Driver Information: The second type of information that you need to collect is the information from the other driver or drivers. You need to get their name, contact information, insurance provider and insurance policy number. Getting their name and insurance provider is not enough information; there is a good chance that their insurance company may insure more than one person with the same name. You should also write down what type of vehicle they have as well.
- Police Contact Information: You should always wait for the police to arrive. Do not leave before they get to the scene of the accident. Their report will be important to any future case that you build. Answer the police officer's questions truthfully. Be sure that you get the name, police department and badge number of all the officers that respond to the scene. You may need that information if you go to trial, or if you have questions about the police report that they write up.
- Road Condition & Environmental Information: Finally, you need to get information about the road condition and environment when your accident occurred. If possible, use your phone to take pictures of the environment. You will want to take pictures of how both of your vehicles were positioned after the crash. You should also take pictures of any skid marks that are on the road as a result of your accident. Don't stop there; take pictures of where you were driving before the accident and of all the road signs in the area. Take as many pictures of the area surrounding the crash as you can; this will help prove your case. You should even take pictures of the sky so you can prove what the weather was like.
- Medical Personnel: If a paramedic checked on your health or you went to the hospital, try to get the contact information for each medical professional that treated you. You also need to make sure that you get records for all the treatment that you receive the day of the accident and any further treatment you get.
When you are involved in a car accident, it is crucial that you gather as much information at the scene of the accident as possible. Get contact information from everyone you can, and gather as much visual evidence to support what happened at the scene. Taking these steps if you are ever involved in an accident will help support your case for compensation.
Finally, it is important to talk with a personal injury lawyer, such as those at Charles Aaron PLC, for legal advice and help getting compensation for your injuries.
