What To Do After A Car Accident

September 27, 2013 | Mukerji Law | Blog

Have you recently been involved in a car accident?

Auto accidents happen unexpectedly, and they can turn your life upside down in the blink of an eye. If this is your first major car accident, then you are probably wondering what your next step should be. Here at the Mukerji Law Firm, we want to help you get your life back on track as quickly as possible. We are also determined to help restore your peace of mind and calm your fears regarding the accident. Here at the firm, we have handled thousands of car accident cases, and we can help walk you through the injury claim process. Aside from helping clients in seeking compensation for their injuries, we also want to inform other drivers on what to do after getting into a car accident.

Here is a list of helpful tips from our Houston Car Accident Lawyers.

Be Prepared- This isn't always easy, as an accident can occur at any time. So, it's always a smart idead to have a pen and paper somewhere in your vehicle that you can take down information from the other driver(s) involved in the accident. Going a step further, some people even keep emergency traffic cones, warning triangles, or flares in their car in case an accident occurs in a heavy traffic area. This is incredibly helpful at night too!
Pull Over (Out of the way of traffic if possible)- Immediately following an accident, you should always try to get the vehicles out of the way of traffic so that you and the other drivers are safe. If it isn't safe, remain in your vehicle until paramedics or police arrive to lower the risk of being hit if you get out of your car.
Take Deep Breaths and see if anyone is injured- If you believe that anyone is hurt, try to stay calm and call for an ambulance. Very important too, you should always alert the police, no matter how minor the car accident was.
Call the Police- This is important because then you may be able to utilize the police report as evidence in your case, which can help your car accident attorney present a stronger case for who was at fault instead of a he-said-she-said.
Exchange Information- Be sure to take a look at the other driver(s) driver’s license and also take down their insurance information. Take extra note of the expiration date of the policy, as your Houston Car Accident Lawyer will need this to help determine if they were driving without active coverage, further damaging their position in court.
Preserve the Evidence- Take out your camera or cell phone and take pictures of the scene of the accident. You should take pictures of the vehicle damage and other surrounding property damage. If you see skid marks on the ground, you should document those as well because that could prove that one person was speeding and had to slam on the breaks. In a car accident, more evidence is better than less, so be thorough here.
Document Your Injuries and Your Side of the Story- Fully assess the extent of your injuries and take pictures, especially if you are taken to the hospital, because once you heal, you won’t have any lingering evidence. You should also write down or record your account of the accident while it is fresh in your mind.
Refrain from Making Angry Remarks or Assigning Blame- This one is tough in the moment, but if the other driver was at fault, don’t start by throwing out blame. You should try leaving emotion out of it and only stating the facts. Try to be polite.
Don’t Admit Fault- Again, only talk about the facts. If you believe that you may have been at fault for the accident, don’t share that information with anyone. Going a step further, keep your interactions with the other party limited to telling them that you have called the police, and then look and see if they are ok. Even asking them if they are hurt can be viewed as fault by their insurance company, so keep interactions brief and general.
Gather Witness Information- If you believe that anyone else saw the accident occur, ask them for their full testimony and have them write it down along with their contact information. This could be very helpful in proving your case if it comes down to the other drivers’ word against yours, or if a police report is inconsistent with their account.
Notify Your Insurance Company and Contact an Attorney- The only people you should really talk to about the accident are the police, your insurance agent, and your attorney. No one else needs to know the details of the case.
Don’t Sign Any Legal Documents- The only paperwork or legal documents that you should sign will be for the police or your own insurance company. If the other driver or their insurance company tries to get you to sign something, you should always refuse.
Don’t Make Any Formal Statements- If the other driver’s insurance company calls and asks you to make a formal statement regarding your recollection of the accident, you should definitely say no. They do this in hopes that they can somehow use it against you or find a way to deny your claim and refuse compensation. Tell them that they need to contact your attorney, and typically, your Houston Car Accident Lawyer will handle these issues for you.
Try to Be the Last One to Leave the Scene of the Accident- If you can help it, stay at the scene of the accident until after the other driver(s) and police have left. This demonstrates that youhave nothing to hide and are being cooperative.