| When a motor vehicle
accident occurs, it is easy to become confused and
forget to acquire necessary information. Even a
minor accident can leave people nervous and shaken.
It's a good idea to keep a checklist of phone
numbers to call and questions to ask in the same
folder as your insurance papers, in your car glove
compartment or console. Then when you need them,
everything will be in one place.
- If anyone is injured, call the
police for help and tell them you need medical
assistance. If anyone involved seems to be under the
influence of drugs or alcohol, tell that to the police
when you call for help. Always call the police whether
there are injuries or not. Many insurance companies will
not cover an accident unless there is a police accident
report. Once everyone is safe, you can get the other
information you will need.
- Your insurance company will
need: Full names, addresses and phone numbers of
everyone involved, including drivers, passengers,
pedestrians who might have been involved, and any
witnesses.
- Try to find out if anyone is injured
or says he is injured; or if anyone said "I am fine".
- Make as many notes as you can about the accident
itself. Get information about the other vehicles
involved, such as license plate numbers, make and model.
What was the weather and lighting like at the time of
the accident? Were any of the involved vehicles damaged?
Was any of the damage obviously prior to the accident,
such as tail lights or brake lights not functioning?
Were any of the vehicles company-owned?
- Be sure
to find out the insurance status of all vehicles and
persons involved. If any drivers were not the registered
owners, get the registered owners' names, addresses, and
phone numbers.
- Did anyone take blame for the
accident?
- Get the names and badge numbers of any police
officers who come to the scene.
- You may wish to contact a
personal injury attorney immediately. He may wish to
examine the evidence at the site and gather as much
information as possible.
- Contact your own insurance
company as quickly as possible. If you feel that, for
any reason, your company may not be willing to cover the
accident, you should consider contacting a personal
injury attorney first. However, do not delay in
contacting your insurance carrier. Most insurance
companies have requirements in the policy as to how
quickly you must contact them, and failure to do so
might mean your claim will be rejected. On the other
hand, you should not answer any questions or make any
statements to the other drivers' insurance companies
until you have consulted an attorney. Be polite, but
decline to discuss any aspects of the accident until you
have obtained legal advice.
- If you have been seriously
injured, you will probably be taken directly to a
hospital emergency room. If you are not seriously
injured, however, do not assume that you are uninjured.
Many injuries from vehicle crashes, like whiplash, do
not show up right away. If you do begin to suffer ill
effects from the crash, notify your health professional
immediately, get yourself checked out, and follow the
doctor's instructions as to care and follow-up. Failure
to get medical care might have serious consequences if
you have latent injuries that only show up 24-36 hours
later. Do not neglect symptoms that are unfamiliar, or
pain that appears hours later. Report any symptoms to
your doctor, however slight. Serious back injuries can
start out as nothing more than an aching back, but left
untreated they can cause major health difficulties.
Furthermore, if you do have problems your insurance
company will need proof that the problems were diagnosed
and treated promptly, and that the problems were related
to the accident.
- If you can get a camera, it is
wise to take as many photos as possible of the accident
site, the vehicles, and people involved, and any thing
else that might have bearing on how and why the accident
occurred. Pictures taken as soon as possible will be the
most valuable. If you do not have a camera, you might be
able to buy a disposable one at a nearby convenience
store, or ask a passenger or bystander to purchase one
for you. Don't forget to take pictures of the damage
done to all vehicles, license plates, evidence such as
street signs or lights, skid marks, etc. If you have an
attorney you plan to call, tell him you don't have a
camera. He may be able to send someone from his office
to take the needed photographs. Be sure to also tell you
attorney about any other evidence you think might be
important, such as faulty street lights or signage,
malfunctioning equipment (seat belts, turn signals,
etc.), weather conditions, etc.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury as a
result of a vehicular accident, call Law Office of James C. DeZao at 1-800-675-2604.
The initial consultation is free of charge, and if
we agree to handle your case, we will work on a
contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for
our services only if there is a monetary recovery of
funds. In many cases a lawsuit must be filed before
an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of
limitations. Therefore, please call right away to
ensure that you do not waive your right to possible
compensation |
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