What to Do Immediately Following an Auto Accident

Last updated 1 year ago

Studies show that auto accidents occur every 13 minutes in the United States—and while not all collisions result in a fatality, the number of personal injuries due to auto accidents are steadily increasing every year. While many of us would like to think that we’re safe drivers, most of us will experience some type of motor vehicle accident over the course of our lifetime. Consider this overview on what to do immediately following an auto accident:

Take Safety Precautions

The first thing to do is move your vehicle to the side of the road to avoid additional accidents and injuries. If the car cannot be moved, then you’ll want to remain in the vehicle with your seatbelt fastened until help arrives. If possible, you should set out cones or warning signs to notify other drivers of the accident.

Exchange Information

Once you have attended to injured parties and moved the vehicles out of traffic, you’ll need to exchange information with any other drivers involved. This includes your name, address, phone number, policy number, insurance carrier, and driver’s license and plate number. You will also want to take down a description of each car involved, including the year, make, model, and color.

Document the Accident

If you have a camera in your car, then you’ll want to take pictures to document the damage. You may also want to get information from any witnesses that were in the area, including their contact information in the event of a driver dispute.  Finally, be sure to file an accident report with the police.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney

One of the most important things to do following an accident is to contact an injury attorney to handle your claim. This will not only make it easier to file your insurance claim, but will also ensure protection in the event you are not compensated by the other driver.

For personal injury representation in the Chicago area, contact our attorneys with Malman Law at (312) 983-6193 today!

Disclaimer:

The materials available at this website are for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular issue or problem. Use and access to this website or any of the links contained within the site do not create an attorney-client relationship. The opinions expressed at or through this site are the opinions of the individual author and may not reflect the opinions of the firm or any individual attorney.

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