Basics of Car Accident Litigation

Yesterday, we talk about general steps you should take whenever an accident has occurred that is not your fault.  Today, let’s discuss automobile accidents specifically, as these compromise a majority of personal injury claims.  These tips are helpful for you to be prepared if you ever have the misfortune of getting into an auto collision:

Stay at the scene.  You should never leave a scene of an accident until the police arrive, write out a full report, and declare that it’s OK for you to leave the scene.  This police report will be vital for determining damages later.

Be careful with injured people. Do not make a bad situation worse by administering unnecessary care to an injured person.  You may believe that you are helping, but it can sometimes cause more harm than good.  If you are not a licensed professional, call for an ambulance immediately and report the number of injured and nature of the injury.  You should seek medical attention for yourself as well and have this documented.

Get as much information as possible.  In addition to getting information from the other driver, you need to get information from witnesses as well.  Not everyone will volunteer this information, so you should conduct interviews with those in the surrounding area and get their contact information.  Taking pictures is also highly advisable.  With today’s cell phone technology, it’s easier than ever to document the scene of a crash.

Do not admit fault to anybody.  If you’re looking for witnesses to the crash, you should remain objective about what has happened.  Ask, “What did you see?” not, “Did I do wrong?”