Your world changes within seconds, due to a car accident. One moment you are driving as usual and the next you are dealing with the shock, fear and not knowing what to do after a crash. The choices you make at those immediate instances- and after the hours and days afterward- will greatly affect your corporeal healing, lapse insurance success, and potential judicial consequences. The knowledge of the right chronology of actions will aid you in remaining safe without ever accidentally weakening your case.
Your Emergency Needs: Safety and Medical Evaluation
The initial minutes after every collision require a hundred percent attention on safety. Always secure yourself and your passengers (and other people involved) before any information exchange, before reporting what happened, even before you call the insurance. Self-inspect and inspect yourself and all the occupants of your car to determine any injuries, especially damages that may not be immediately apparent such as whiplash, head injuries, or internal injuries that are covered up by adrenaline.
In case anyone is grievously wounded, dial 911. Do not wait or expect that minor trauma does not justify emergency treatment. The quicker paramedics will evaluate and treat injuries, the higher medical outcomes are and the more an injury associated with the accident is documented. This medical record becomes an important insurance claim and litigation.
However, minor injuries are to be attended to in 24-48 hours, even when they appear simple. Quite a number of accident-related injuries, such as those, which affect soft tissues, concussions, and internal injuries, do not manifest instantly but can be exhibited several days or even weeks later. Medical testing enables the drafting of a formal record connecting your accidents to the medical condition that the insurance firms will need during the cases and courts in a legal action.
Recording It All: The Most Important Thing You Need To Do After a Car Crash
After security assurance and medical care, the priority is documentation. The actions you take after a car crash concerning evidence retention are directly related to whether you are going to prove your case or have difficulties doing so later. The first thing to do would be to capture all features of the accident scene when everything is at the same location.
Take these photo with your smartphone:
- Damage to the vehicle on all angles.
- Name plates of each vehicle involved.
- General overview of the accident scene with vehicle placement.
- Traffic lights, street signs, weather, and roads.
- Physical evidence, such as skid marks, debris, fluids, etc.
- Any visible injuries
Take a picture prior to any movement of cars- as soon as cars are moved or even towed, the initial picture is gone forever. Also, document road conditions, which the cameras are unable to record: day time, weather, visibility, whether headlights were on, and any other extraordinary events.
Gather witness details right on the spot as long as people are around. Get complete names, phone numbers, addresses and brief statements of anyone that witnessed the accident. Such witness support is invaluable in case there is any quarrel between the modes of collision.
Communicate and Store Exchange Information
Get full details of the other driver such as the name, address, phone number, driver license number, license plate, vehicle, insurance company, and policy number detail. But do not talk more, except of giving this requisite information. Do not apologize, confess, or tell such statements as I did not see you, even when you think that you caused the accident, such would work against him in future.
Disregarding the case where the other driver gets aggressive or will not cooperate, it is not worth it to escalate the situation. Their details will be captured in the police report and your attorney will through legal means access the details, should the need arise.
Contact Police and File Your Report
According to the Mississippi law, drivers who are implicated in an accident where injury, death, or damages to properties of over 500 dollars occur, are obligated to report the incidence to the local police within duration of 10 days. Even with rather minor accidents, it is important to take an official police report, this way, one gets an objective description of the accident and records the relevant facts.
Talking to officers, be factual as to what you saw. Do not guess causes and make confessions. It is better to respond to the questions sincerely and not to tell more than is required.
Report to your Insurance Company As Soon As Possible
Report to your insurance company within 24 hours preferably through telephone. Present simple facts concerning the time, location and place of the accident. Nevertheless, you are not required to make an elaborate written statement at the time. Instruct them to wait till you talk to an attorney before making a detailed statement.
Conserve Crucial Evidence and Obtain Legal Advice
Collect and compile all records: police report number, medical records and bills, repairs estimates, receipts, evidence of lost wages, and dash-cam footage. Keep this evidence locked up and in place–use it in case of quarrel, or law suit.
Above all, call upon a skilled car accident lawyer. Even such accidents that seem straight forward may get tricky. A lawyer will be able to conserve evidence before it becomes a loss, deal with the insurance case in the most strategic way possible and make sure that you are adequately compensated for damages that you did not think of as much in the first place.
Conclusion
The time spent after a car addiction will either dictate how you will heal and what outcomes you will get in court. You have safeguarded yourself by being able to prioritize on safety, seek immediate medical assistance, fully document the scene, responsibly share information, submitting obligatory reports, and consulting with an attorney. These measures turn what appears to be a disorganized scenario into a structured documented record that safeguards your health, money, and legal privileges. Instead of being alone to deal with insurance companies and liability issues, get the services of an experienced attorney who can make sure that your rights remain protected in the entire process.