5 Essential Steps to Take After an Auto Crash

Picture this - you're driving with the windows down, enjoying your favorite tunes, and suddenly, someone slams into the side of your car. Whether it's a minor crash or a serious accident, being involved is jarring and scary.

You may feel overwhelmed by emotions and injuries in the immediate moments that follow. However, try your best to remain calm and take the appropriate steps to ensure your safety. 

If you're involved in an auto crash, there are steps you need to take to ensure you stay safe and protect yourself and your property is crucial to getting the justice you deserve.

1. Ensure Safety

In the moments following an auto accident, you'll want to take a moment to compose yourself. You'll need to take a moment to assess your physical well-being. 

Once you have determined you're okay, you will want to check on your passengers, if there are any in the car with you. If you can, you should also check on the driver and passengers of the other vehicle(s) involved in the accident.

However, if the accident was a result of road rage or intimidation, it may be in your best interest to avoid interaction with the other driver until the police arrive on the scene. 

If you or your passengers sustained injuries, you'll want to request emergency medical assistance when you call the police. 

Once you have determined the physical well-being of those involved, you should try to move the vehicles affected out of the way. This helps clear up the roadway for other drivers and helps reduce traffic or other accidents from occurring. 

2. Call the Police

Once you have established safety following an accident, you'll want to call the police. This is essential to securing a report for a  car accident lawsuit if you choose to pursue that avenue.

You may believe that waiting to call the police is better, even if the accident is minor. However, waiting too long can reduce the accuracy of your report while making it harder to get the justice you deserve.

Ensuring you call the police is essential to getting a police report, and requesting the necessary medical professional to the scene is vital to safety. Be sure to ask for the presence of an ambulance and the severity of car accident injuries sustained to dispatch. 

If you've never called 911, you may not know where to start or what to say. Remaining calm, providing clear and concise information, and answering questions from the operator are crucial to getting the police to the scene with all the necessary information. 

Similarly, calling the police also helps alleviate traffic issues, as they can help direct other drivers around the scene of the accident.

3. Gather Information

After you've called 911, you'll need to begin the process of gathering information about the other driver.

This includes exchanging information with the other driver if you feel safe to do so. Collecting their name, phone number, address, and insurance information is crucial to follow up with your own insurance provider once you leave the scene of the accident.

You may also want to speak with witnesses who viewed the accident and are willing to corroborate your store if necessary. Gathering their name, number, and address can be beneficial if you choose to pursue a car accident case.

If necessary, you can also ask local homeowners or business owners if they have security cameras that may have captured the accident. This can be beneficial in proving liability or fault to insurance and a court of law.

You will also want to request a copy of the police report to provide to your insurance company and a car accident lawyer if you choose to pursue a legal case after the crash. 

4. Call Your Insurance Company

Once you leave the scene of the accident, you'll immediately want to call your insurance company. This is imperative, as it helps your case when you're the victim of an accident. 

Generally, your insurance company doesn't want to find out you were involved in an accident from the other party's insurance company. Ensuring you reach out to them in a prompt manner is crucial.

You will also be prompted to provide all the information you gathered at the scene, including the other driver's information, police reports, witness accounts, and footage to help your provider determine fault. 

When you call your insurance company, you'll need to recount the accident, once again emphasizing the importance of calling as soon as possible to ensure the most accurate description. 

5. Think About Hiring a Lawyer

Finally, if you've sustained bodily harm or injury, or damage to your vehicle due to negligence by another driver, you may want to hire this law firm to help bring your case to court and ensure you get the justice you deserve.

If you're unsure whether or not you have a viable case, scheduling a consultation with a lawyer to discuss the facts of your case can help. This allows you to inquire about the validity of your case, any issues posed, or how likely it is to win.

How to Protect Yourself After an Auto Crash

Though scary, remaining calm after an auto accident is crucial to keeping yourself and others safe. Similarly, knowing what to do should an accident occur can help prevent liability when you haven't done anything wrong. 

If you're ready to get the justice you deserve following an auto crash, thanks to the help of this guide, you'll want to check out the rest of our website. There, you can find more of the best legal tips and tricks to help you stay protected in a court of law.