Steps to Take Immediately Following an Auto Accident

Before you see an Opelika auto accident attorney, you need to protect yourself—and your legal case

Immediately after an auto accident, the individuals involved are not always thinking clearly due to the shock of the impact and the confusion of the situation.  But this is a time when the safety of many injured people may be at risk, and it is also the best time to preserve important evidence.  You are on your own until you can obtain the counsel of an Opelika auto accident lawyer from Whittelsey, Whittelsey & Poole.  Knowing what to do after an accident is as important as knowing the rules of the road.

Know these essential steps after a car accident

The following steps help ensure all injuries and emergency situations are handled quickly:

• Call 911.  Nothing is more important than the safety of everyone involved in an accident.  One call quickly brings medical and emergency workers to the scene.
• Obtain contact, license, and insurance information.  It is essential to be able to contact anyone at the scene, so make sure you have names and phone numbers for both drivers and witnesses.  Be sure to look at and record names, addresses, dates, and numbers directly from the license of each driver, and obtain all information from their insurance cards as well.  And be sure to obtain a copy of the police report.  As you conduct this important business, keep conversation to a minimum.  Do not discuss what happened during the accident, and never admit any degree of fault.
• Take detailed photos.  Use your cell phone camera to snap pictures of the damage on all involved vehicles, injuries, and the accident scene—including skid marks, ice, or other road conditions that may have contributed to the accident.
• Preserve evidence.  Retain everything damaged at the scene, including your damaged vehicle, items inside the car or trunk that were broken, and even the clothing you wore, particularly if it was ripped or bloodied.
• Retain documentation.  Even for minor injuries, it is important to see a doctor to ensure your injuries are not likely to develop into a more severe condition.  Keep all receipts and medical records, as well as receipts for anything from over the counter pain medication to bandages and crutches.  If it directly relates to the accident, save it.
• Record notes.  At the first opportunity, start writing your recollections from the accident.  Record the details of what each car was doing immediately prior to the accident, what happened at the moment of impact, what you communicated to others, and any conversation you overheard.  Later, you can add to your notes to record details about conversations with insurance claims adjustors or others. 
• Call an Opelika car accident lawyer from our firm.  Before you take any legal action or file an insurance claim, talk to one of our experienced lawyers.  We can provide valuable advice on how to protect your rights when filing a claim—or let you know when more significant legal action is needed to ensure you pursue the full compensation you need to cover your damages.

Contact us for a free initial consultation with an experienced Opelika auto accident lawyer

If you are involved in a car accident anywhere in Alabama, the information and evidence you collect at the accident scene is an important first step in filing any type of claim.  Then contact Whittelsey, Whittelsey & Poole for a free initial consultation.  We provide sound legal counsel and can use expert investigative resources to help obtain additional evidence and expert testimony for your case.