Injured in a Car Accident? Here’s What You Need to Do Right Away.

It’s difficult to fully prepare for being injured in a car accident. The experience is scary and stressful, and you will likely be in a panicked state immediately after the accident, making it more difficult to know what to do. 

But, you can educate yourself on the right things to do after a car accident so you are more likely to take steps that will protect you, those around you, and your assets.

Hopefully, you never need to know these steps, but please keep this information in mind in case you are ever injured in a car accident.  

#1) Take a deep breath, and check yourself for injuries.

If you are involved in a car accident, your adrenaline is probably going to kick in. You may feel a rush of energy and alertness. This is your body helping you navigate through a stressful and dangerous situation, but it can also limit your abilities to see the situation clearly.

When you have an adrenaline rush, it can decrease your ability to feel pain. You may have been injured in the car accident, but feel fine because your body is covering up minor or major injuries. 

The first thing you should do if you are in a car accident is take a breath and check yourself for injuries. Keep in mind that you might not feel your injuries, so perform a body scan to see if you are hurt, but just not feeling it yet. If you have an injury, don’t try to move until help arrives (unless you need to move for other safety reasons).

#2) Check passengers for injuries. 

Next, check all other passengers in your vehicle for injuries. Direct them to do a scan on their bodies, and remind them that they may not feel the injuries right away. If they are injured, advise them to stay put. If they aren’t injured, advise them to check the situation outside, and get out and get help if it is safe.

#3) Call 911 and request an ambulance.  

If you are injured in a car accident, you need both police and paramedic assistance.

• You need police assistance to document the accident and create a report. Even if the facts of the accident seem obvious or the person who caused the accident seems nice and helpful, you need an official report. 
• You need paramedic assistance to first check your injuries and provide any immediate care that you or others need. You also need the paramedics to create a report that documents the details of your injuries. 

Both reports will be useful in the event that you need to take legal action to be fairly compensated for vehicle damage and bodily harm caused by the accident. 

#4) Gather information about the car accident.

While the on-scene police will collect information to put in their official report, they may miss a few details. If possible, don’t rely entirely on the police to collect details. If you or someone else on the scene is able, collect information on your own. 

If you are in a car accident, you should collect: 

• Names, contact information, and insurance information of all drivers
• Names and contact information of other passengers and witnesses 
• Location and time of the accident
• Photos of involved vehicles 
• License plate information and make, model, and color of involved vehicles 
• Any dashcam footage

Before you part ways with the on-scene police officers, get their names and badges numbers. Also, ask them where you can obtain the official report for your records. 

Related: What To Do After a Car Accident That’s Not Your Fault

#5) Call an attorney before calling any insurance companies. 

If you are injured in a car accident, take steps to immediately protect your health and well-being. Then, take steps to protect your financial interests.

You may think that insurance will cover all of the costs related to your accident and injuries, but that is not always the case.  

Insurance companies have trained professionals to make you think they are there to help you when they are actually there to try to get your claim closed out in the fastest and cheapest way possible. Both your insurance company and the insurance company of the other parties involved are likely going to work to avoid paying out compensation for damages. 

For this reason, it is important that you talk to an auto accident attorney or a personal injury attorney before contacting any insurance company after your accident. 

An experienced attorney can make sure you get all of the compensation needed to deal with both your vehicle damages and personal injuries. They can help you get the full compensation you deserve, which may include long-term physical therapy or treatment, mental health treatment, lost wages, lost funds, and long-term pain and suffering.

Injured in a Car Accident? We Will Fight for You

If you have been injured in a car accident, you need to focus your energy on healing mentally and physically. You don’t need the extra stress of fighting with insurance companies to make sure you are fairly and fully compensated. We’re here to take on that fight for you.

Let TJ Grimaldi be your voice to the insurance company so they don’t take advantage of you during your time of need. Contact our office today for a free consultation with TJ to learn how we can advocate for you and collect what is due to you after your auto accident. Request your free consultation or call 813-226-1023.