Auto Accident Lawyer Canoga Park, CA

There’s probably nothing as scary as hearing metal crunch and feeling the jolt of an impact when you’re in your car. When you know what to do, you can stay calm and deal with the situation. Here are five things to do if you’re in an accident.

Call 911

Call the police and ask for an officer to make a report. Ask for first responders if anyone needs medical assistance. Stay at the scene. Try to leave the cars in the same position, but you may have to move to safety. Use your best judgment as to what is most appropriate. Don’t leave the scene. You may get in trouble for leaving, even if the accident wasn’t originally your fault. Don’t talk to the other driver and say you’re sorry.

Get Medical Treatment

At the scene of the accident, adrenaline is racing. You might be in shock and not feel pain. It’s a good idea to get medical help as soon as possible, to make sure you don’t have soft tissue injuries that go unnoticed in the heat of the moment. At the very least, if you refuse medical treatment on the scene, once you start to notice pain, you should get to the doctor, urgent care or emergency room.

Get Information

Don’t rely on the police officer’s report to take to your insurance company. It can take a week or more to get an accident report. Take down the name and contact information of the other driver and witnesses. Use your phone to take a picture of the insurance card.

Take Pictures

If you are able to, get pictures of the scene and the damage to your cars. Try to get as many pictures as you can. Take close-ups of the damage. Get pictures of the scene, demonstrating the weather conditions and traffic. Once you have the pictures, save them to the cloud or email them to yourself. Don’t rely on your phone to preserve them because phones break.

Report the Accident to Your Insurance Company

Don’t wait to report the accident, even if you and the other driver said you wouldn’t. If the other driver reports first, he or she could blame you for the accident. If you don’t report the accident, you could also lose your insurance or face higher rates. Your insurance company can help you save evidence and start and investigation into the accident.

If you’ve been seriously injured in an accident and need an advocate to protect your rights, contact an auto accident lawyer in Canoga Park, CA from Barry P. Goldberg who can help you through the process.