What I Should Do When Involved in an Auto Collision?

When we are involved in automobile accidents, we always tend to forget many things we could have done to safe guard our rights. Therefore, it is important to take the necessary steps to protect and safe guard your rights. In the event of an accident, we recommend that you at lease execute the following without fail if you are involved in an automobile accident:

1. Never drive away from the scene of the accident. Always stop your vehicle and turn on the hazard lights of your vehicle;
2. If the location of the accident does not interfere with traffic, leave the vehicle at the point of impact. If the location of accident interferes with traffic and you vehicle is drivable, safely move your vehicle to a safe area;
3. Prior to exiting your vehicle, call the police and inform them the location of the accident even if there are no serious injuries visible;
4. Typically, the police will not arrive at the location of the accident or take a police report UNLESS there are bodily injuries to individuals involved in the accident. Understand the in many accidents (minor accidents) bodily injuries are not visibly present and in most instances you begin to feel pain in your body hours later. Therefore, it is always recommended that you inform the police that you intend to seek medical treatment.
5. When the police arrive, make sure to explain to the reporting officer your account of how the accident happened HOWEVER, if you are not clear as to how the accident took place, DO NOT GUESS but merely inform the office you do not recall certain specifics of how the accident took place;
6. Make sure to take clear and accurate pictures of all vehicles involved in the accident;
7. Make sure to exchange your insurance information with all parties involved in the accident. Be sure to obtain their insurance information as well as their driver’s license information and vehicle registration information.
8. If a police report is being taken, make sure to obtain the police report file number as well as the officer’s information;
9. If your vehicle is towed from the location of the accident, make sure to obtain the towing information and the location of the place to where your vehicle will be towed;
10. Report the accident to your insurance and also provide your insurance company with the names and the information you obtained from all parties involved in the accident; You insurance company will set up a claim number in reference to the accident which will be used on all correspondences;
11. Seek immediate medical treatment. Even if you do not feel any bodily discomfort, it is always advisable to seek a medical evaluation of your body at all times after an accident. Depending on your pain tolerance, you might not feel any bodily aches and pains but yet you may have internal issues that may begin to bother you into the future. As such, ALWAYS seek a medical evaluation with your doctor or ER following any accidents;
12. Make sure to keep a log/file of all events that you recall of the accident and correspondence received;
13. Always PROTECT your rights BY SEEKING advice of any attorney experienced in handling automobile accidents before agreeing to give any statements to either your insurance company or any other parties’ insurance companies. You have the right to refuse giving any statement to insurance companies, including your very own.

Safe guarding your rights in an automobile collision is a complex and multipart process. If you do not have the experience there is a high risk that your claim will be denied and even dismissed for lack of timely prosecution. It is always recommended that you consult an attorney prior to proceeding with filing such claims. The attorneys at Serendib Law Firm APC are experienced and are well qualified to assist you in protecting your claims and rights in automobile collisions. Call us for a free consultation and we will guide you through this complex and multipart process to ensure the results you deserve!