What to Do Immediately After an Accident

       Getting into a car accident can be one of the most traumatizing experiences a person can have. Depending on the type of accident involved, you may have to deal with the damages and repairs to your vehicle, insurance company adjusters, body shops and, if you or your passengers are injured, possible medical bills and time missed from work.  Dealing with these issues can cause stress and aggravation especially if you make any mistakes along the way that can cause further delays and money out of your pocket. If you happen get into an accident you should be prepared with the knowledge to deal with the situation from the very beginning. With that in mind this article is the first in a series outlining what to expect and how you should deal with getting into an auto accident to help make sure you avoid improper delays and an unfair resolution.

What to Do Immediately After an Accident

If you get into an accident, the actions you take immediately after the collision can have a profound effect on the eventual outcome of your claim. It's important that you take the appropriate steps to protect your rights from the beginning and make sure that your claim is settled fairly and appropriately.

1.       Assess the Situation for Injuries:

Most collisions occur with no prior warning so immediately after an impact people are usually disoriented and unaware of what just happened. Pain from some injuries can take days or even weeks to present themselves, don’t assume because no one is in immediate pain that no injuries have occurred. If anyone is complaining of any serious injury or pain, call for emergency medical assistance.

2.      Exchange Vehicle Information:

Once any immediate danger is dealt with, exchange information with the driver of any other vehicles involved, including driver’s license information, vehicle registration, insurance information and the vehicle owners address. Do not discuss the specific circumstances that led to the accident. Call the police if necessary but keep in mind that most of the time the police do not respond unless there are serious injuries. If the other party is not co-operating with the information exchange, make sure to take down the license plate number as that information can be used to discover their identification and insurance information at a later time.

3.       Take Down as Many Details of The Scene as                      Possible: 

Try to note the time, people and area of the scene of the accident, including the number of vehicles and passengers. If you have a camera take pictures of the damages, the license plates and pictures of the scene of the accident. If there are any witnesses at the scene try to get their contact information. The more details you take down the easier it will be to determine responsibility.

4.      Do Not Admit Fault for The Accident and Call Your           Insurance Company:

Never admit fault to anyone, there are many facts and circumstances involved in determining who is responsible for an accident and the insurance companies involved will conduct an investigation to determine who was at fault.

5.      Keep Track of Any Lingering Pain:

After an accident keep track of any injuries or pain you feel may be attributable to the accident. Due to the chock of the impact, pain from injuries aren’t present for days or weeks after the collision. If you have any pain after the accident keep track of the severity, duration and any medication you take to deal with the pain. If you feel it necessary, consult a medical professional for an opinion

Unfortunately, when it comes to dealing with an auto accident, the collision is only the first step in what may be a long and difficult process. Make sure you take the necessary actions from the beginning in order to protect your rights and help things go as smoothly as possible.

1.       Assess for injuries

2.      Exchange vehicle information

3.       Take down as many details as possible of the accident

4.      Do not admit fault and call your insurance company

5.      Keep track of your injuries

If you have been in an accident and need advice on how to proceed feel free to contact my office for a free consultation. 

       Law Offices of Ricardo A. Lopez 626-487-9521                        3807 Wilshire Blvd. Los angeles 90010