No one sets out for a drive expecting their trip to end in a car accident. In a perfect world, everyone would follow the laws of the road, and the streets would be safe for driving. That is not the case. When you collide with another car (or another car collides with you), the following moments and even weeks can be stressful both physically and financially. However, breaking down everything you need to do into actionable steps can take some of that stress away. From getting medically evaluated to hiring a car accident attorney, here are the steps you need to take after you’re in a car accident.
1. Make Sure Everyone Is Safe
The first and most important step is to make sure everyone is safe. Even relatively minor accidents can still result in some form of injury for you, the other driver, or your passengers. If everyone is uninjured and you can move out of an active road, you should do that. This is not always possible due to the damage to the cars, but you should do your best to prevent any further injury from happening and any further disruption to traffic.
2. Wait for the Authorities
If you were in a major accident with many witnesses, someone most likely already called the authorities. You should still call and make sure they are aware of the accident, even if the accident seems small. Having an unbiased third party gathering information makes the process go much smoother, and prevents it from becoming a ‘he said’ ‘she said’ situation. Additionally, in the state of California, you are required to stay at the scene if there are injuries or fatalities until law enforcement arrives to take your statement. Not only is it a good idea to wait, it is also illegal to leave early.
3. Gather Information and Document the Scene
In most cases, the police officer on the scene will file a police report with all the information from the accident, but it’s a good idea for you to do the same. This will save you time down the line when talking to insurance agents and lawyers. You can provide them all the information they need rather than forcing them to contact the (most likely overworked) police department.
You also need to get all relevant information from the other driver involved in the accident. This information includes:
- Full name
- Contact information (phone, email, etc.)
- Driver’s license number
- Insurance company and policy information
- Vehicle make, model, and color
- License plate
This information will be necessary as you talk with your lawyer and insurance company throughout the process. The police officer at the scene should give you their information, but you should ask for it if they don’t offer it. If there are third-party witnesses at the scene, you should get their names and contact information as well.
4. Contact Insurance
You need to reach out to your insurance provider as soon as reasonably possible. If you wait too long to tell them about the accident, there is a chance that your coverage will be delayed, depending on the insurance provider and agent. You need to talk to them even if the fault hasn’t been decided yet.
While you are talking to the agent, stick to the facts about the accident only. Anything other than that has the potential of coming back to bite you later on. Statements like “I’m fine” or “I’m sorry” can be construed as a lack of injury or an admission of guilt. If you say you’re fine but seek medical care after the adrenaline wears off and discover you have a concussion, the insurance may deny payment because you were fine before.
5. Secure Representation
If your accident has a disputed fault claim, serious injuries, or anything other than a simple fender bender, securing a lawyer to help you through the process is necessary. California uses an at-fault system, which means the person at fault for the accident is required to pay for the damages. If the accident’s fault is shared, both people pay an amount proportionate to their fault. A lawyer will help negotiate that. If you plan on filing a personal injury suit, a lawyer will be needed for that process as well.