What To Do If You Have Been In A Vehicle Crash
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Is anyone bleeding or in obvious pain?From the other driver, you should collect the driver’s name, driver’s license number, address, license plate number, make and model of his or her automobile, and the name of his insurance company and policy number.If any one in any automobile looks like they need medical attention, call 911 immediately.Check your passengers.It may be that the eyewitnesses to the accident will never be able to be found again.If you do not collect this information now, it may be gone forever.People have a powerful drive to get along.These are the kinds of things that can matter a lot later on.Regardless of who was at fault, a crash is a traumatic event for both drivers.This can be powerful evidence in a lawsuit.Try to relay your location as precisely as you can to allow the first responder to find you.Finally, make sure you see your doctor promptly to tend to your injuries.If you apologize or say that the accident was your fault or that you should have done something differently, you may be speaking based on your emotions more than the facts, you may be wrong, and you’ll very likely eliminate any chance of winning a lawsuit against the other person.START INVESTIGATING WHAT HAPPENED You will need to collect some information from the scene of the crash.DO NOT ARGUE WITH THE OTHER DRIVER Your emotions will be high and so with the other driver’s.See if they respond to your voice.Check to see if you are injured.Whatever you do, do not attempt to move someone who has been seriously injured, and unless you have specialized medical training, do not try to treat someone else’s injuries.Normally calm people may come out of their vehicle ready for a confrontation.Similarly, check the people in the other vehicle if you can safely.Err on the side of calling for an ambulance.The police will write a report about the accident and what happened.Normally, this is the station the officer operates out of.Unless you have a concern that your conduct was a violation of the law (for example, because you’d been drinking before the crash), make sure the police officer hears your side of the story.
Does he seem very tired?On the other hand, if the other driver apologizes to you, write it down.If the other driver gets out of his or her vehicle and starts yelling at you, walk away from him (though not from the scene of the accident).Again, if you have any concerns about whether you’ve been injured and need urgent medical care, err on the side of asking for emergency medical help.Your first priority should be getting any necessary medical attention as quickly as you can.The officer likely has a card that he can give you which has this information on it.You need to collect information from the other driver and from any eyewitnesses at the scene.Nothing good will come from that.AFTER THE CRASH In the days after the crash, try to write down what happened in the accident to the very best of your ability to remember.Check to see if you have any numbness in your body, or tingling.The police officer may ask if you’ve been injured.Include as many details as you can.Beyond that, here are some more specific guidelines for what you should do after an accident.You should also make sure you keep a log of your injuries and how your body is responding to the crash.Others are terrified about what’s happened and talk without speaking.Obviously, stay safe at all times.Do not walk into any road where other cars are traveling.That accident will matter to an insurance company evaluating a claim later.You should also take notes about things that may matter later.Don’t.Do a quick scan of your body to see if you notice any pain or are bleeding.This is not the time to diminish your injuries so as to not trouble the officer.Also, do not assume that the police will interview them; the police can take several minutes to arrive and the witnesses may have already departed by the time the police come.It is incredibly difficult to regain composure and regain your ability to think clearly.Being in a car accident is an incredibly stressful event.After a crash your heart is racing and your head is spinning.Other than checking to see if the other driver needs medical attention, you should take a moment to collect and calm yourself before talking to the other driver.Just don’t talk about who is to blame for the accident.You have but a few minutes to make sure they can be followed up with; you should use that time wisely.MAKE SURE EVERYONE IN YOUR CAR IS SAFE.You should also record who else heard the other driver’s statement.It is incredibly difficult to start to think rationally about what just happened.Is he wearing glasses?The adrenaline rush can cloud your ability to think and make you more emotional than you otherwise would be.Finally, you should make sure you get the police officer’s name and any information necessary to get the police report later.After an accident, you may want to placate the other driver, particularly if the person is angry.Do not get out of your vehicle and yell at the other driver.Is he drunk?From anyone else at the scene, try to collect their name and contact information, including their phone numbers and addresses.Calling for the police is a prudent move if the accident is at all serious.Do not leave the scene of a crash.
COOPERATE WITH THE POLICE When the police arrive at the scene of your accident, talk to the police officer.Sadly, right after a crash you most need to calm yourself and begin to clearly think about what you’re doing.These details will fade in your mind over time and you may lose them if you don’t record them close to the time of the crash.Be sure to take this log with you when you see your doctor.If you think you may have been injured, but aren’t sure, tell that to the police officer.DO NOT APOLOGIZE FOR THE ACCIDENT Whatever you do, do not apologize for the accident and do not say the crash was your fault.
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