What Should I Do Immediately After a Car Accident?
The moments following a collision are important. Of course, you must always tend to your own safety and the safety of others first.
Call 911 right away if anyone at the scene has pain, dizziness or visible injuries.
If your car is blocking the road and creating a danger to traffic, move it to the side if it will drive and you’re able. If it won’t drive, put on the hazard lights if they work.
It’s hard to focus on anything but the present situation, but when you’re able, you should start thinking about how to protect your chance to pursue compensation later.
Missing key steps at the scene can make a personal injury claim harder. Collect what evidence you can and start laying the groundwork for a car accident case.
Once you’ve made sure that you, your passengers and people in the other car are safe, take these steps:
Step #1: Take pictures of the accident scene.
Pictures of damage to your car are important, but that’s not the only thing you should be looking for when gathering photographic evidence.
The position of the cars, the layout of the intersection, road signs, tire marks on the road, weather conditions, any obstructions or distractions in the area and damage to surrounding objects can also be evidence.
Step #2: Exchange insurance information with the other driver.
If you pursue compensation, you’ll usually deal with the other driver’s insurance company, which typically handles claims against the drivers it covers.
Get the driver’s name, contact information, insurance company and policy number.
Step #3: Call the police.
Indiana law requires drivers to notify police right away after a crash that injures or kills someone. Crashes with $1,000 or more in property damage also carry reporting requirements.
Our Indiana car accident lawyers recommend calling police even if you’re not sure anyone is seriously hurt or the damage meets the threshold.
Many people don’t realize they’re injured until they go to a doctor, or later when pain or stiffness shows up.
And it can be tough to estimate how much it will cost to fix your car by just eyeballing it, but car repairs are so expensive these days that even something that appears minor could easily cost $1,000 or more.
Call the police and make sure that you have a police report to use for your personal injury claim.
Unless emergency responders take you for medical care, stay at the scene until police finish their report.
Step #4: Look for witnesses and surveillance cameras.
If your crash happened near a business or someone’s home, you may be able to get footage of the accident from their cameras that could help with your case.
Witness testimony can also be helpful. If someone saw the crash and they’re willing to speak to you, get their information in case you need someone to back up your story later.
Step #5: Seek follow-up medical attention.
After all emergency medical needs are addressed, schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. Do this even if you don’t feel hurt.
A car accident is stressful. Adrenaline is pumping. Shock can set in. It can be hard to listen to your own body and realize that you’re injured in the immediate aftermath.
Waiting too long for medical care risks making your injuries worse. It could also make it more difficult to win compensation if you don’t have medical records documenting your injuries.
After you take these steps, talk with a Fort Wayne personal injury lawyer about whether you may have a claim.
Our team at Fletcher Van Gilder can review your situation and explain your options and next steps.
Get started with a FREE car accident claim evaluation.
Why Should I Take Legal Action Quickly After a Car Accident?
If you were injured in a crash and want to pursue compensation, start as soon as you can.
Delaying is a bad idea for several reasons, the most obvious being the statute of limitations.
You don’t have unlimited time to file a personal injury lawsuit. Indiana generally gives people two years to act after getting injured in a car accident.
That seems like a long time, but don’t get caught off guard by how quickly time passes when you’re tending to your health and trying to get back into your normal routine after suffering injuries in a wreck.
You don’t want to one day find that the statute of limitations had run out and you’ve lost your chance to pursue compensation.
Even if the statute of limitations didn’t exist, waiting too long to pursue a personal injury claim wouldn’t be a good idea.
It gets more difficult to build a car accident case as time passes. The memories of witnesses fade, evidence can get harder to find and footage or pictures of the accident can get erased or lost.
If you think you have a valid car accident case, you should explore your options right away. A consultation with a Fort Wayne personal injury lawyer from FVG is free, and there’s no obligation.
