The information provided in the following articles is for information purposes only. If you feel you have a personal injury case, please contact us for a FREE case evaluation.
Getting into a car accident is not your everyday event and no one likes or expects to get into a car accident. Do you know what to do if you were involved in an accident today? Well, here is a simple guideline on what to do and what not to do after a car accident.
1. Stay calm and keep your cool.
Depending on the severity of your injuries, take a deep
breath and collect yourself. Be civil and do not get into an argument with the
other driver. Do not talk about the cause of the accident or fault –
remember that anything you say can be used against you later.
2. Exchange all pertinent information.
This includes names, addresses (both home and business),
telephone numbers (home and business), driver’s license number, vehicle
license number, and insurance information. Not all of this information
is crucial, but you do need at least the basic information of name, home
address, driver’s license, vehicle license number and insurance information.
If the other driver refuses to provide you with this basic information, you
may need to contact law enforcement.
3. If possible, take pictures of the other
vehicle.
Most cell phones come with a camera and although it may not
be of the best quality, use the camera in your cell phone (if you have one) to
take pictures. Because drivers often times have their car fixed without
taking a picture, this may be your only chance to take a picture of the other
car.
4. If you are injured, call law enforcement
and ask that they come out to make a report.
This step is not a necessary step. Nevertheless, it
can be helpful in proving your case unless you are the party at fault.
Depending on the location of the accident, you may have to contact the Sheriff
(streets), CHP (freeway) or LAPD.
5. If you are injured, get checked out by a
professional.
If at the scene, you may need paramedics. Otherwise,
depending on the severity of your injuries, you may need to visit the
emergency room or urgent care. This step depends on the severity of your
injuries.
After getting checked out, you may need treatment with a
medical doctor or chiropractor. Remember that getting checked out by
paramedics, or getting checked out at the emergency room or urgent care is NOT
the same as getting treated for your injuries. Depending on the severity
of your injuries, you may end up needing surgery or having a cast placed on
broken bones – follow up treatment after these procedures generally includes
physical therapy.
If you suffer from soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash,
strains or sprains and back pain, you will need treatment to alleviate those
symptoms. Remember that medication will not heal your injured muscles
and without treatment, your injured muscles will develop scar tissue which can
lead to long term problems.
Do NOT wait to start on your treatment.
Often times, injured parties wait to see if their symptoms subside before
seeking treatment – they do NOT and all you will do is hurt
yourself physically and hurt your injury case (the longer you wait to get
treated, the harder it is to make an injury claim against the other side).
6. Do not discuss the accident with the
adverse insurance company.
Do not discuss the accident with the insurance company
representing the other side without first contacting an attorney. Never
give a statement without speaking with an attorney first. If you end up
speaking with the other insurance company before contacting an attorney, do
not discuss cause or fault of the accident or your injuries – only discuss
your property damage.
7. Do not sign authorization forms given to you by
the adverse insurance company.
Insurance companies are notorious for pressuring injured
parties into signing medical authorizations, which will allow them open access
to “all” of the injured party’s medical records. Insurance companies do
not have a right to obtain records that are irrelevant to the subject matter
or irrelevant to the injuries sustained by the injured party. So, never sign
such authorization forms.
8. Call an experienced personal injury
attorney.
The best, and sometimes only, way to protect yourself is to
contact an experienced accident or personal injury attorney. Remember
that most, if not all, personal
injury attorneys take cases on a contingency basis, meaning that the
attorney gets paid a percentage of the settlement or the judgment in the case
and if there is no settlement or judgment, then the attorney does not charge a
fee.
I have been practicing personal injury litigation since 1997. I have worked on the defense and the plaintiff’s side. Hence, I am very familiar with both sides of litigation.
If you have a personal injury case, such as an accident, slip and fall, dog bite, etc., and want to get an honest assessment of your case and be educated as to your options, please give us a call. There is never a fee unless there is recovery in the case. Please contact us at (661) 362-0805 or (818) 700-8422, or email us at mason@mrscvlaw.com for a free case evaluation.
