Being involved in a car accident is stressful, scary, and sometimes chaotic. No one expects to get into a car crash, so when it does happen, it takes us by surprise.
If you’re not experienced with car accidents, then you might not know exactly what to do after being involved in one.
One of the first things to keep in mind is that you need to do everything you can to protect yourself.
Other drivers will sometimes do their best to prove their innocence and place the blame on you.
To prevent any false accusations from holding up against you, you need to start gathering evidence at the scene of the accident.
As soon as you’re safe, start collecting all documentation you can. Not sure what all to gather?
Below are several pieces of information you need to ensure you collect if you’ve been in an accident.
Continue reading to learn more.
1. Photos of the Entire Scene
When an accident happens, you can’t rely on others to document the event correctly. You need to go out of your way to take your own pictures or videos of the entire scene. You’ll want to take pictures of the intersection or street where it happened.
Then, be sure to take pictures of your car and the other driver’s car. All damages should be recorded in your photos. Take pictures of the inside of your car as well to show damages that occurred inside the vehicle, such as the airbag going off, a seatbelt being broken, or more.
2. Witness Statements or Videos
You don’t want to rely on witnesses to provide you with all the photos or videos you need of the scene, because there’s no guarantee that someone will have witnessed it or decided to take pictures of it. If there are witnesses, however, be sure to take statements from them.
Have them write down what they saw or record them on your phone as they describe what happened. Be sure to get all witnesses’ names and contact information as well, so you have a way to reach them. If they did take photos or videos of the accident, you can ask them to send you these so you have them on record.
3. Contact and Insurance Information
When you’re involved in an accident without another driver you’ll need to get all of their contact and insurance information as well. You’ll need their insurance and contact information to give to your own insurance company. These are some of the first things your insurance company will ask for when you call to report the accident.
One easy way to gather all of this information at once is to ask the other driver for his or her insurance card. When they give you the card, you can snap a picture of the front and the back of it. The insurance card should have the vehicle owner’s name, the insurance company, VIN number, and other essential information.
Do be sure to ask the driver if they are the same person listed on the insurance card.
4. Police Report Taken at the Accident
If the police were called to the scene, then you’ll want a copy of the police report taken at the accident. Having the police come out to the scene is a good idea because the police will make a report that states both driver’s information and gives details about the accident as well.
When a report is written, the police will generally give you a copy. If you don’t receive a copy, then ask for one before the police head out.
5. Medical Records or Reports
Whether you’ve been injured in the accident or not, you need to seek medical attention as soon as possible. The longer you wait to seek medical attention, the more you hurt your case. Some situations only allow a certain amount of days for you to wait until seeing a doctor or all injuries found after that date are dismissed.
See a doctor whether you think you need to or not and then keep a copy of the medical records or reports written by the doctor. If need be, get a second opinion.
6. Bill Summaries From Repair Shops
There are several different ways to deal with vehicle damages after an accident. You can either have the vehicle taken by your insurance company to a repair shop of their choice or take the vehicle to your own repair shop.
If the insurance company takes it, then they’ll have an appraiser come out and appraise the damages. If you take it to your own repair shop, then the repair shop will give you an estimate. Keep these records on file so everyone knows exactly how much damage occurred.
7. Information Gathered From Your Lawyer
It’s a good idea to consider hiring a lawyer after a car accident. The best car accident lawyer will gather all important information for you and then advise you on how to proceed until the case is closed.
You can speak to your lawyer about any concerns or questions you might have. A good lawyer will be able to answer any questions and give you all the legal help you need to ensure you win your case.
Don’t Leave the Scene Without Gathering Evidence!
Car accidents can send your mind running in several different directions. If you do find yourself in a car accident, don’t leave the scene without gathering evidence of what happened first.
Use this guide above to help ensure you collect all the information you need.
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