There is no car accident that is pleasant. This includes minor fender benders. You will be overwhelmed by emotions and you can be confused when at the scene. The problem is that what you do after the accident is very important. You need to take some steps to protect both you and any injury claim that might be necessary in the future. Mike Morse law firm recommends you do the following very important things.
Stay At The Scene
Even if the car accident is minor, you should only leave the site of the incident after law enforcement allows it and you exchanged contact and insurance information with the other drivers involved in the crash. If you leave the scene, you actually risk going to jail in some states.
Check Yourself For Injuries
Start with you and then go to everyone else involved in the accident to see if injuries appeared. Exit your vehicle when it is safe and check all passengers and drivers. Whenever injuries are discovered, you need to call the emergency number (911 in the US). When you have doubts about whether or not the call is needed, you just call to be safe.
Never provide assistance in the event that you are not trained to do it. Also, do not move anyone unless there is imminent danger present, like a fire.
Contact The Police
We already talked about this and the fact that you should call 911 but even if you do not have to do this, it is still a very good idea to report the car accident to the local law enforcement force. Simply ask that a police officer is dispatched.
The reason why it is such a good idea to contact the authorities is that a police report will be prepared. Also, the police officer will speak to those involved. You will want to have the police involved especially if other drivers do not have insurance or they drive while under the influence.
Move The Vehicles
When there are no serious injuries and the car accident was minor, try to remove the involved vehicles. Move them to the shoulder so that you are outside traffic flow. This is important since it will prevent the development of a big traffic jam. It will also help the first responders to reach the scene of the accident.
Get Contact And Insurance Information
See who was involved and obtain their contact information, car insurance details, license number, and name. You should also take a picture and you can use your smartphone for that. When witnesses are present, also get their contact information.
Gather Evidence
Besides identifying accident witnesses, you should also try to gather as much evidence as you can. Write down details about the vehicles involved. This includes make, year, model, license plate number, and general description.
Use your smartphone to take pictures of skid marks, area conditions, and vehicle damage. Take as many photographs as you can since they are so much more important than you might initially think. You never know when one photo provides the missing piece of the puzzle.
