Essential Steps to Take After a Car Accident

Car accidents can be overwhelming and traumatic experiences, leaving you uncertain about what to do next. Knowing the essential steps to take immediately following an accident can help protect your rights and ensure proper medical care.

Immediate Actions at the Scene

ACCIDENT SCENE:

  • Call 9-1-1. It is critical to call the police immediately as law enforcement will document and report how the accident happened, and the injuries sustained and will obtain any witness information that will be critical to your case in the future.
      • In Pain? If you are experiencing any pain or discomfort at the accident scene, be sure to inform the officer of such pain. Remember that you will likely be full of adrenaline, which can mask feelings of pain. So, you should err on the side of caution and communicate anything    that feels abnormal to you.
      • Ambulance? If you are in ANY pain or discomfort after an accident and the paramedics or police officer asks you whether you want to be taken to the hospital by ambulance, say YES. If you deny an ambulance and later learn that you sustained injuries, the insurance can later use your denial against you.
  • Other Driver’s Information. Be sure to take photographs of the other driver’s license, insurance information, license plate number, and any other identifying information.
  • Photograph the Evidence. Take photographs of the accident scene, your vehicle, the other drivers’ vehicle(s), the roadway/intersection, any blind spots, and anything else you might think may be important.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

  • Day of Accident: If you’re not taken by ambulance from the accident scene, visit the ER or Urgent Care immediately to be assessed for any possible injuries.
      • Be descriptive when speaking to the doctor. All details help your case. It’s better to be overly descriptive than to leave out critical information that can assist your doctor.
      • When speaking of a doctor about the accident, describe how the accident occurred, how your body moved during the impact, what parts immediately hurt and what parts are now sore, etc…
      • It is a good idea to call your primary care doctor while waiting to be seen at the ER. Your primary care doctor likely will not be able to see you for a couple of days, maybe weeks after the accident. So, it is critical to call them ASAP to get a visit date scheduled.
  • Additional Medical Visits: If you have not already, call your primary care doctor to schedule an appointment. ER and Urgent care facilities will likely not provide ongoing treatment, only emergency treatment. Accordingly, you will need to see your primary care doctor for additional, follow-up care.
    • No Primary Care Doctor or Health Insurance? Contact our office attorney at (951) 688-7000 as our attorneys can refer you to a medical professional.

INSURANCE

  • Insurance Conversations:
      • Other Driver’s Auto Insurance: If the other driver’s insurance contacts you, do not speak to them. Tell them that if they have any questions, they can speak to your attorney.
      • Your Auto Insurance: Immediately after the accident, contact your insurance company to report your involvement in the accident. Be sure to ask them for your “Declaration page”, which outlines the kind of insurance you had at the time of the accident. Once received, send it to your attorney for review.

OTHER EVIDENCE

  • Ongoing Evidence: Due to the accident, you may have cuts, bruises, and other marks on your body that will hopefully go away in the future. It is important to take photos of these visual injuries before they go away. The insurance company may deny that you suffered these visual injuries if you do not preserve the evidence.
  • Diary Log: Be sure to keep a diary of any abnormal symptoms you experience. For example, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light can be signs of a concussion or brain injury. It is important that you note any abnormal feelings you experience so that you can communicate each symptom to your doctor.
      • Example Log: “On July 1st, 2024, I saw my chiropractor and advised them that I have been experiencing a numbness and tingling sensation in my right arm.”
      • Other Log Info: This log is also not limited to medical visits. It could also be day-to-day life for example, “I was not able to ride my Harley Davidson this Sunday because of the pain in my back.”
  • Traffic Collision Report: Assuming an officer came to the scene of the accident, a traffic collision report will likely be created, noting the facts and evidence of the accident. These reports take time, sometimes weeks or even months before they are completed. Please occasionally call the police or sheriff’s department to obtain your report. You should have been provided a report number by a law-enforcement agent either at the scene of the accident or at some later time.

Call my office if you have any questions regarding the above. The firm’s number is (951)-688-7000.