Steps After An Accident

Indiana Accident Attorneys: Advice on Steps After an Accident

Knowing the correct steps after an accident can really help your chances of success in pursuing your claim. Car accidents are a common occurrence in today’s fast paced modern society. According to Indiana Crash Facts there were 205,532 traffic collisions that resulted in injury or property damage in 2014 alone.[i] This is why it is so important that you make sure you are prepared in the event that you are ever involved in one of these unfortunate events. Below is a brief list of steps to follow following a car accident.

Stay Calm and Collect Yourself:

Accidents can be very shocking to those involved. It is important to stay calm and collect yourself before taking further action. Make sure you observe your surrounding prior to exiting your vehicles.

Get to a Safe Location:

For those who are not too badly injured to move, it is wise to get to a safe location. This may help avoid further injury as any unsuspecting drivers may come upon the scene too quickly and be unable to avoid the accident.

Call for Medical Attention:

Make sure you contact medical services to ensure that everyone at the scene is evaluated for injuries. Even if you do not feel as if you are hurt, it is a good idea to still get checked out by medical services. Some injuries are not going to become apparent right away. After an accident avoid driving yourself to the hospital. Getting behind the wheel while in shock or not knowing the full extent of your injuries can lead to further unnecessary injury.

Call the Police:

Having the police come to the scene of the accident is a great way to ensure that an official record is made of the incident. Relying exclusively on an exchange of information or informal agreement between the parties can be very risky. The other party may provide false information or simply try to flee the scene.

Document the Incident:

1. Make notes of what you can remember from the accident. It is important to take these notes while the events are still fresh in your mind. These notes should include a description of the events, names and contact information of the parties involved, names and contact information of the parties’ insurance companies, names and phone numbers of any witnesses, and names of any police officers who responded to the scene.
2. Take pictures of the accident: your injuries, the vehicles involved, and the surrounding area. In 2016 almost everyone has a smart phone with a camera on them at any given time which makes it easy to take pictures of any accident scene you would happen to be involved in. If you are injured from the accident it is best to make sure your medical needs are taken care of and seek the assistance of a friend or family member to take pictures of the incident for you.

Remain Calm and Only Discuss the Accident with the Police:

After an accident, be cooperative with the police. Accidents can be tense times and you should avoid making any remarks to others that you would come to regret later. If an individual comes to the scene stating they witnessed the events, get their name and contact information. You should also avoid posting information regarding the accident to your social media accounts.

Contact an attorney:

Call a personal injury / car accident lawyer at Vanderpool Law Firm. Make sure your rights are being represented! The insurance companies are all going to have legal counsel to represent their rights and you should too. A lawyer from Vanderpool Law Firm can help answer any questions you have about your claim. We represent personal injury victims on a contingency basis. That means you will pay no attorneys’ fees unless we win compensation for you. It costs you nothing to contact our personal injury attorneys and discuss your case.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident, contact the lawyers at Vanderpool Law Firm, PC for a free initial consultation. Call us at (574) 268-9995 to set up an appointment or fill out a form online and one of our staff will get in contact with you. The attorneys are Vanderpool Law Firm are your local personal injury / accident lawyers. We have offices conveniently located in Warsaw, IN and Wabash, IN.

[i] http://www.in.gov/cji/files/2014_IN_CrashFactBook_Web.pdf