The top 10 thing you should do if you experience a car accident.
No one likes the thought of car accident. However, the fact is, on average, there are 43 car accidents per day in Colorado due to distracted drivers. With the use of so many onboard distractions, in addition to cell phones, we should all have a plan. Following an accident, your body will be filled with adrenaline and you may be in shock. This list is designed to help you along the way.
The following are my Top 10 Tips you should consider after a car accident:
1) Make Sure Everyone is safe.
In a Car accident your safety and the safety of your passengers is your top priority. You need to make sure everyone is ok and dial 911 if you believe anyone is seriously injured. Make sure the other driver and their passengers are safe as well. Turn on your hazard lights so other drivers are alerted. When you exit your vehicle, take caution. You may be disoriented and distracted drivers will be passing you.
2) The police must be notified, even if no serious injuries.
If there are no serious injuries you still need to call the police to report the incident; whether it is a major or minor car accident. This will save you future paperwork if you need to proceed with a car accident injury claim. Be detailed on what happened and point out any witnesses that saw the crash. This will ensure that there will be fair report regarding the accident. Don’t be talked into the “let’s agree to not report this” game. Protect yourself from later problems and report the incident.
3) Take photos. Make notes. Get names.
Documentation is key. Take photos on your phone. Write down, in your own words what you remember happening. Get names and phone numbers of any witnesses who saw what happened. You may need this later. Follow-up with those witnesses and ask if they would email you a description of what they saw. Your attorney may appreciate these statements later. Don’t forget to exchange insurance information and vehicle information with the other driver. Get their phone number and address as well. Don’t be afraid to ask to see the address on their driver’s license. This is not a time for privacy, you may never see or hear from this person again and they may be at fault.
4) Call Your Insurance Company.
You will need to open a claim with your insurance whether or not the accident was your fault. This will speed the process of getting your car fixed and your personal injuries attended to.
5) Seek Medical Attention and Get a Check-up
It is important that the emergency medical staff looks you over and examines as they see fit. Life threatening injuries should be attended to immediately. The ambulance personnel should make sure you did not experience any internal trauma which requires emergency attention.
Many injuries are not life threatening, but are “quality of life threatening”. You should follow up with a provider who is certified in personal injury.
6) Make a file for your documentation
Accidents are a headache, for more reasons than one. Keep a file with all of the data you collected above and everything else you receive. Keep everything your insurance company sends you in the mail and document all phone calls. You may need all of this later.
7) Don’t understate your injuries.
There is a wide body of research showing the residual effects of even the low speed crashes. Too often, accident victims will tend to understate their injuries because they don’t want to overstate them or seem like complainers. TELL THE TRUTH. If you hurt more than before the accident, say so. If you lost function, say so. If anything is less enjoyable, so say. You deserve to return to the quality of life you enjoyed before the accident. Too many accident victims never fully recover from their injuries. Give yourself the best chance to fully recover.
8) Contact an Accident Injury Attorney for advice.
Your lawyer can protect your rights and make sure your claim is submitted correctly. They can help recover damages that may be difficult to recover on your own. This isn’t about taking advance of the system, this is about getting back to normal.
9) Use ice, take it easy and if you have any concussion symptoms get some mental rest and discuss your symptoms with your personal injury certified doctor.
10) See a Doctor of Chiropractic who is certified in personal injury.
Also, see a massage therapist who understands personal injury. Get proper diagnostic testing to evaluate your condition and recovery. Even the non-life threatening injuries need to be attended to properly. Make sure your health care team understands personal injury care.
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