WHAT TO DO AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT

POSTED BY MUKERJI LAW FIRM ON September 27, 2013

Have you been recently been involved in a car accident? Auto accidents happen unexpectedly and they have the ability to 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 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 countless car accident cases and we can help walk you through the injury claim process. Aside from helping clients in seeking compensation, 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 lawyer.

  1. Be Prepared- An accident can occur at any time. It is always smart to have pen and paper somewhere in your vehicle that way you can take down information from the other driver(s) involved in the accident. Some people even keep emergency traffic cones or warning triangles in their car in case the accident occurs in a heavy traffic area.
  2. 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.
  3. Take Deep Breaths and see if anyone is Injured- If you believe that anyone is injured try to stay call and call for an ambulance. You should also alert the police, no matter how minor the car accident was.
  4. Call the Police- This is important because then you may be able to utilize the police report as evidence in your case.
  5. Exchange Information- Be sure to take a look at the other driver(s) driver’s license and also take down their insurance information.
  6. Preserve the Evidence- Take out your camera or camera 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.
  7. Document Your Injuries and Your Side of the Story- Fully assess the extent of your injuries and take pictures, because once it heals you won’t have any evidence. You should also write down your account of the accident while it is fresh in your mind.
  8. Refrain from Making Angry Remarks or Casting Blame- If the other driver was at fault, don’t start out by throwing out blame. You should try leaving emotion out of it and only stating the facts. Try to be polite.
  9. 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.
  10. 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. This could be very helpful in proving your case if it comes down to the other drivers’ word against yours.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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.
  14. 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.

Contact a Houston car accident attorney from Mukerji Law Firm today if you have been injured in any type of auto accident.

Car Accidents, Drunk Driving Accidents, Personal Injury