Things To Do And Not Do After A Car Accident
If you are involved in a car accident, you are probably full of adrenaline. The accident itself happened in a heartbeat, and your mind is racing. What do you do at the scene of an accident? And what are things that you shouldn’t do at the scene of an accident?
Try not to move your car – Unless you absolutely have to, wait for the police to arrive before moving your car. The police will likely need to see where your car came to rest in order to help them determine the cause of the accident. If you do have to move your car, make sure to take a lot of photos of where it was immediately after the accident from various angles.
Of course, never move your car if you are injured, or not feeling well enough to do so safely. You should always sit stationary and wait for medical help if you feel that is needed.
Take a lot of pictures – Take pictures of everything. Later on, an expert that reviews your accident may find a small detail important that you don’t even consider. Take pictures of all cars involved in the accident, and damage to those cars, inside and out. Take pictures of any pieces of the vehicles that may remain on the roadway, as well as the road itself, to document weather or road conditions. Take pictures of your own injuries, if they are visible.
You may also want to take pictures of the other vehicle’s license plate, if the other car is drivable, and you suspect that they may flee the scene.
Don’t guess – At the scene of the accident, you will be asked by police what happened. Because of the adrenaline pumping through you, it’s likely you simply won’t remember everything about the accident. That’s OK.
Certainly, tell the police everything you know. However, you are free to say that you don’t know the answer to a question. For example, if an officer asks how fast the other car was going, is that something you really know as a fact?
Don’t guess at fault – Even if you believe that the accident is your fault, you are under no legal obligation to say that. Many times, drivers think they are at fault for an accident, only to later find out the accident wasn’t their fault at all. Let your lawyer determine fault. Although it’s human nature to say “I should have done this or that,” or “I’m so sorry,” that kind of language can make it harder for you to recover damages.
Always get medical help – A lot of injuries don’t show themselves until hours or even days after the accident. Get medical help—either from the emergency room or from your doctor as soon as possible after the accident.
Call the Clinton personal injury attorneys at Fox Willis Burnette, PLLC, today if you are injured in an accident.
