What To Do (And Not Do) If You Have An Auto Accident

Nobody plans to have an auto accident.  And for sure nobody wants to be involved in one.  Yet each year there are about 5.5 million crashes in the United States alone.  They injure roughly 2.3 million of us and result in over 30,000 deaths each year in the U.S.

While you might be one of the lucky ones who never have an accident, the odds are that sooner or later you’re going to be party to an auto accident.  When that happens, what should you do?  And what shouldn’t you do? Here’s what the professional accident attorneys say.

Do These

• Stay at the scene.  Wait for police to arrive and follow their instructions.
• Check on everyone involved.  Call for medical assistance as appropriate, even for the other guy who was at fault.
• Document the accident.  Talk to witnesses and take pictures of everything. Of course, stay safely out of traffic.
• Contact your insurance company as early as possible.  Consult an attorney to be sure of your legal standing and rights.
• Be careful of everything you say.  Even a simple “I’m sorry” might be construed as admitting fault.

Don’t Do These

• Contend with the other party.  The police and your insurance company can sort out the details of who did what.
• Forget to collect documentation.  Beyond the police report you’ll need names, addresses, insurance companies, and drivers license information for everyone involved in the accident.
• Say “I’m not injured.”  Many times, injuries may not show up until hours, days, or even weeks after the accident.  If you have to go through expensive treatments, you don’t want to add the agony of fighting an insurance company who claims your condition isn’t related to the accident.  You are going to want to have an experienced car accident attorney to help you if you are injured.

Accidents certainly aren’t something to look forward to.  But being prepared, staying calm, and following these tips will help you get through the ordeal as smoothly as possible.