Before anything else, if you are involved in a car accident you should consider your personal safety. Your health comes before any sort of insurance claim or legal action.

Accordingly, you should stop where you are and call 9-1-1 immediately following the accident. This gives the police and paramedics the opportunity to arrive at the scene, document the facts of the accident, and determine if you require medical treatment. Even if you feel that you have sustained only minor injuries, it is usually a good idea to be checked at the scene.

Additional Steps You Should Take at The Scene of an Accident

At the scene of a car accident, you can follow a few key steps, including:

• Share insurance information and contact information with the other drivers involved in the collision.
• Do your best to document the scene of the accident by taking videos and pictures of the roadway conditions, vehicle damage, weather conditions, and any other factors that may have contributed to the accident.
• Give a detailed record of the accident to the police. Their report will be very useful if you decide to bring a case against the other individuals involved in your accident. Be careful not to make any statements that admit your own fault before you speak to a lawyer.
• Report the accident to your insurance company as soon as possible so they can begin the claims process. Reporting the accident to your own insurance company if you were a driver is also required by most insurance policies.
• As long as it is safe to do so, you should preserve the scene of the accident and protect yourself from additional impacts. Turn on your hazard lights and attempt to move your vehicle out of the roadway if your vehicle is operational, but do not flee the scene of the accident.
• Consider working with a car accident attorney. An attorney with our firm can advise you on the steps to take to protect your rights.