Do’s and Don’ts after a Car Accident

The next steps you take when in a car accident could decide your future. Do you know the most
important things you need to do – and not do – after a crash?

If you’ve just been in a car accident, don’t panic. Easier said than done, we know.

It’s natural to feel shaken and disoriented after a collision, but these simple car crash tips can
help you get your life back on track sooner – without putting your rights at risk.

Protect yourself by following our experienced attorneys’ do’s and don’ts after a car accident.

What to DO after a car accident:

1. DO see a doctor.

Medical care right away is perhaps the single most important tip among all of the car accident
dos and don’ts.

If you, a passenger, or someone else involved in the collision is injured, call 911 right away.
Serious injuries require emergency treatment, so don’t be afraid to take an ambulance to the
hospital.

In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, your auto insurance company will pay for the majority of your
medical bills. Even if you don’t think your injuries are severe, see a doctor as soon as you can.

If you, a passenger, or someone else involved in the collision is injured, call 911 right away.
Serious injuries require emergency treatment, so don’t be afraid to take an ambulance to the
hospital. In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, your auto insurance company will pay for the
majority of your medical bills. Even if you don’t think your injuries are severe, see a doctor as
soon as you can

2. DO contact the police immediately.

After a car crash, both you and the other driver should wait at the scene until the police arrive.

Yes, even if the damage seems minor. Even if the person who hit you apologizes or asks you not
to involve the police.

Why? It’s not to get the other driver in trouble. But you need to document first that the
accident happened and second how it happened.

If you don’t call the police, it could end up being your word against the other driver’s – and you
could end up footing the bill for the entire accident yourself.
3. DO gather as much evidence as possible.

Another tip for your car accident claim is to collect evidence at the scene.

When it comes to providing compelling evidence for your case‚ a personal injury lawyer can
help you gather most of what’s important later. But in the moments immediately following the
crash, you can help yourself by gathering as much fresh evidence as you can.

If you’re feeling up to it, here’s what you should do:

Take photographs of the accident scene and vehicle damage

Write down the names, contact information, and statements of anyone who witnessed the
accident

Make sure you have the information you need to access the police report when it becomes
available

4. DO report the accident to your insurance company.

You’re required to notify your own insurance company of a crash promptly. What you’re not
required to do, though, is have a drawn-out conversation.

Give the basic facts only. Remember, even you don’t know yet how serious the accident was.

Why is this one of the most important car accident tips a lawyer will give you? It’s not that
we’re being paranoid. It’s because we know the insurance company isn’t really on your side.

The more information you give out, the more opportunity you give the insurer to twist the truth
and deny or decrease your claim.

5. DO hire a personal injury attorney.

Your insurance adjuster may tell you that an attorney is unnecessary‚ that you can handle a
claim on your own. But the reality is that you’ll end up with only a fraction of what you deserve
if you try to do this alone – and the insurance adjuster knows it. Accident victims who hire an
attorney get roughly 3.5 times more compensation than those who don’t. Wouldn’t you rather
have that money in your wallet, where it belongs, than padding the bottom line of a massive
insurance company?

What NOT to do after a car accident:

1. DON’T allow the other vehicle to drive off.

Not everyone is honest, especially when telling the truth could get them in legal trouble.
Some accident victims have been burned by drivers who gave them false information. Even if
the other driver gives you his or her name‚ contact information‚ and insurance information‚ ask
them to wait until police arrive so you can verify that they’re telling the truth.

2. DON’T wait to take witness statements.

It’s not enough to get the contact information from witnesses so you can follow up with them
later. Memories fade over time. Details are forgotten – including the ones that could support
your claim.

This accident may have changed your life – but it’s not nearly as personal, or as important, to a
passerby who just happened to witness it.

Get witness statements right away‚ before the details of your accident are lost with time.

3. DON’T give your insurance company unnecessary information.

Remember how we said the insurance company isn’t on your side? Here’s why.

Your insurance adjuster’s job isn’t to help you – it’s to help the insurance company maximize its
profits by paying out as little as possible in claims. And that means paying you less than the full
value of your car accident case.

The more you say to an insurance adjuster about your case or your life, the more opportunity
the insurer has to find some statement, however innocent, that it can twist and use against
you.

Of all the do’s and don’ts in a car accident, this is one tip that we can’t stress enough. Don’t give
any insurance company, even your own, more information than you’re legally required to
provide.

4. DON’T assume that your injuries are minor‚ or that they’ll resolve on their own.

You might not feel the full extent of your injuries for days, even weeks after the accident.

But waiting to get treatment could harm your claim. The delay might even make it harder to get
medical care later on.

Even if you feel your injuries are minor‚ see a doctor who can give you a full assessment now.
After all, nothing is more important than your health.

5. DON’T accept quick settlements from an insurance company.

It takes longer than a few days or weeks – or even months – to find out the full extent of your
injuries from a car accident.

You don’t know how long it will take to get better – or if you will get better completely. You’re
not sure yet how much time you might miss at work or what your medical bills will cost by the
time your treatment is complete.

If you accept a quick settlement now, you can’t just ask for more money later. It doesn’t matter
if you incur additional medical bills, lost income, or pain and suffering. You can’t reopen your
case.

Unfortunately, many accident victims don’t know this. By the time they learn that taking an
early settlement offer was a big mistake, it’s too late for us to help them.

Don’t let yourself fall into the same trap!

Your Next Steps After a Car Accident

Knowing the most important do’s and don’ts after a car accident can help you move forward
with your claim. But these are only the first steps you need to take after the crash.

What you do in the moments, hours, days, and weeks following the collision can make or break
your chances of getting the compensation you deserve. So can your choice of a car accident
attorney.

Find out how you can get our award-winning Pennsylvania and New Jersey personal injury
attorneys on your side without paying a penny out of pocket.