What To Do If You Are Involved In A Car Accident

Car accidents can happen to anyone at any time. Car crashes can range from the most minor “fender-bender”, where only property damage is involved, to the most violent of auto crashes that result in catastrophic, life-altering personal injury, even death. We have provided some guidelines to consider when you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident.

Safety:

• Make sure everyone involved is okay. Call 911, if necessary.
• If there are no injuries, vehicles should be moved to the side of the road or out of the way of oncoming traffic.

Polite Exchange of Information:

• Do not admit guilt. It’s human nature to apologize, even if you are not at fault. If you are in an automobile accident, try to remain polite with the other party without offering any type of apology. In car wreck situations, an apology can be construed as an admission of guilt and liability. Even if the accident was your fault, but especially if you were not at fault, remember, be polite without apologizing.
• Exchange insurance and contact information from all drivers involved.

Document / Document / Document:

• Document the name and contact information of all witnesses.
• Document the vehicles by taking photographs of vehicles, license plates, damage, etc.
• Document the scene by taking photographs of the roadway, intersection, street signs.
• Document any particular company-owned signage on the vehicle or if the driver was working on behalf of another company.
• Document driving conditions (weather, time of accident, etc.)
• Document the Accident Report Number from the law enforcement official working your accident, if the police were summoned to the scene of the wreck.

As you can see, there is a lot of important data that should be collected if you are involved in a car accident. Most individuals have smart phones that are capable of capturing photographs, as well as note taking. Some folks find it convenient to keep a notepad and pen in their glove compartment. Regardless of how you collect the data, it is important to collect it.

Once you have determined the safety of all drivers and gathered all information, you can call your insurance company to make a claim.

If you have personal injuries from a car crash as a result of another driver’s negligence and are wondering whether you need to hire a personal injury attorney regarding your rights, call the attorneys at The Law Offices of Reynolds & Reynolds, PLLC to discuss the facts of your auto accident. Keep in mind that all states have a statute of limitations for which you can file a claim. The statute of limitation varies from state to state but in Texas it is two years from the date of your accident/injury.

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