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What To Do Directly After a Car Accident

If you've been involved in an automobile accident, there are several things which absolutely must be done in order to make sure you are taken care of-both medically speaking and with regard to your potential claim. Immediately following an accident, your first priority is getting yourself out of harm's way if possible. Then call 9-1-1 immediately and ask for the police to be sent to the scene of the accident so an officer can assess fault and write a report. When the police arrive, the responding officer will do a quick investigation and typically determine who is at fault. The officer's observations will be included in an accident report which will later be available for purchase by all involved parties. Accident reports are extremely helpful and serve as a starting point for reporting your claim to the at-fault driver's insurance company. They also serve as well-documented facts should additional investigation by the parties be necessary.

If your injuries are such that you feel you should go to the hospital, then also make sure to ask for an ambulance when you call 9-1-1. If you are physically able, it's very important that you try to obtain the name, phone numbers and insurance information of all drivers involved in the accident. Next-and equally important-you'll need to try and obtain the names and numbers of all witnesses. You have to realize that people who are not involved in the accident don't usually stay at the scene for very long, so it's important for you to obtain their information very quickly. Sometimes the investigating officer writes down the witness names and telephone numbers on the accident report, but not always. Before you leave, also make sure that you document the scene by writing down all other relevant information, for instance: the street names, weather, time of day, lighting and type of cars involved. While all this information should be on the accident report, sometimes the police officer elects not to complete a report. This could be because he or she has another wreck to get to or because no one was transported to the hospital. Either way, if you don't do the legwork yourself at the scene, you may be without all of this vital information later on.

Finally, if at all possible, take pictures of the damaged vehicles and the accident scene with a camera or your cell phone. My suggestion is to keep a disposable camera in your glove box so you'll have it just in case. I can promise you that nothing is better than pictures when it comes to describing an accident scene.

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