There are many times that people are involved in an accident and don’t feel injured, so they agree to either swap information or not report the crash on the promise of being compensated by the other driver. This is the worst thing you can do, especially if you have property damage or bodily injuries that come up later.

5 things I recommend that you do in all accidents are:

1. Report it to the police. This is time consuming and the police could take a long time to get to you especially if there are no reported injuries at the time. However, trained law enforcement officers can help with who was at fault.

2. Get names and contact information of witnesses. If there are witnesses that don’t want to stick around get their information because if who was at fault is contested at a later date these witnesses will be essential.

3. Take pictures! Everyone has a camera phone these days. Take pictures of the damage to the vehicles at the scene and prior to moving from traffic. Also, take pictures of your injuries on scene and of the other occupants of the vehicle. If this can’t be done due to injury, make sure you document with pictures at your earliest convenience.

4. Take the Ride. If you are experiencing any pain or discomfort from the accident don’t try to tough it out or drive yourself to the hospital. Insurance will pay for the ambulance ride. It’s best to go get checked out for traumatic injuries.

5. Medical Doctor Treatment. If you didn’t go to the ER, or if the no injuries were found, follow up with a doctor that can treat your symptoms. Generally, primary care physicians do not deal with car accident cases. If you are having pain, the x-ray may have been negative from the ER, but certain injuries may show up on other imaging diagnostics such as an MRI. The ER only is looking for acute trauma injuries.

You should follow these steps and consult with an experienced personal injury attorney to help you. Use the contact form on this page, if you have any questions.