When you go through a traumatic experience, it can be hard to know exactly what to do. Your body is flooded with adrenaline, making it hard to know how to respond. Taking some time to come up with a game plan in advance can help you be prepared if you’re involved in something scary –  like a motor vehicle accident.

While it can be challenging, you should try to stay calm after a crash. Take a deep breath, check on everyone, and then call the police to report the accident. While waiting, you can take lots of photos and talk to witnesses. You should also call your insurance company and never admit fault. Finally, reach out to a South Carolina car accident attorney to help you handle the personal injury claim.

Based in Simpsonville, Derrick Law Office fights for the rights of accident victims throughout the region. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you will never pay a fee unless we recover money for you. Reach out to our law firm today to talk to a Simpsonville personal injury attorney about your case.

Steps to Take After a Car Accident

Most people are lucky enough to not have a lot of experience with motor vehicle accidents. The downside is that it can be difficult to know exactly what to do if you are in a crash. Below, we outline some basic things that you should do after a collision to protect yourself – and any potential car accident claims that you may have against the at-fault driver.

Stay Calm

One of the most important things that you can do after a motor vehicle accident is to take a beat and do your best to stay calm. 

This isn’t always an easy feat. You might be angry, frustrated, or worried about being late to work. Whatever emotions you are experiencing are valid – but venting them at any drivers or pedestrians involved in the accident won’t help matters.

Don’t let your emotions get the best of you. Instead, before you get out of the car, take a deep breath, and try to center yourself. When you are calm, you can then get out of the vehicle and figure out what happened.

At this point, you can check on everyone to make sure that they are safe. You can also look yourself and your vehicle over to assess any injuries or damage. Being calm when you do this is the best way to ensure that you don’t miss anything – or make the situation worse. 

Call the Police

When you have made sure that everyone is OK, it is time to call the police. It doesn’t matter if the accident was a minor fender bender or a major head-on collision. You should still notify law enforcement.

As a general rule of thumb, you should treat every accident like the other driver will leave and you will never see them again. Too often, we meet with people who took another driver at their word that they’d be in touch – and then that driver disappeared. Calling the police is the best way to protect yourself and your interests.

The police will investigate the accident, taking notes of things like car positioning, weather conditions, and the statements of everyone involved. They’ll also note the names and contact information of any witnesses. The accident report can be a useful piece of evidence in a lawsuit. Police involvement may also reduce the risk that an at-fault driver will just leave and never contact you.

Take Pictures

While you are waiting for law enforcement to arrive, get out your phone and start taking pictures. In this situation, you can’t take too many photos. Try to get pictures of absolutely everything – the other vehicle’s license plate, skid marks on the road, road conditions, damage to your vehicle, and whatever else you may see.

The photos that you take on your phone will show more than just the image that you are trying to capture. They will also reveal things like weather conditions. They will also essentially have a date and time stamp as part of their metadata. All of this will serve as incredibly useful evidence in any claim that you may file against the at-fault driver and their insurance company.

Talk to Witnesses

While you’re taking pictures, look around and note any witnesses. If you see someone, get their name and phone number. They may be able to provide a statement to your South Carolina car accident attorney about what happened.

If the witnesses are gone by the time that law enforcement arrives, you can give the police officers this information. The police can then follow up with them and get a statement for you as part of their investigation.

Call Your Insurance Company

It may seem counterintuitive if you don’t believe that you were at fault for the collision, but after a motor vehicle accident, you should call your own insurance company. This is important for a few reasons.

First, notifying your insurance company immediately can help to protect your rights. Your policy may actually require you to notify your insurance company about any accident. Letting your insurance company know right away can ensure that you don’t inadvertently waive any of those rights.

Second, your insurance company will perform its own investigation – and defend you if the other driver claims that you were at fault for the crash. Notifying your insurance company right away will ensure that the investigation isn’t compromised. It will also allow you to get legal representation quickly if there is any question as to liability.

When you do talk to your insurance agent, be sure to just stick to the facts of what happened. Give them the necessary information – like your policy number, the information for the at-fault driver, and when and where the accident occurred – but you don’t need to elaborate at this point.

Do Not Admit Fault

Even if you think that the accident may have been your fault, do not apologize or admit fault. Remember – your body is flooded with adrenaline after a traumatic event. You might not fully understand what happened yet – and your perception might be a bit off in the immediate aftermath of the crash.

Keep in mind that you don’t know what was going on in the other driver’s car. They could have been driving drunk or texting while driving. Admitting fault could mean that you become the at-fault driver –  and can make it harder for you to recover financial compensation for your injuries.

Reach Out to a South Carolina Personal Injury Law Firm

When you can do so, you should schedule a consultation with a Simpsonville car accident attorney. It doesn’t cost anything to make an appointment – and you’ll get some valuable legal advice on the merits and value of your claim.

The at-fault driver’s insurance company has its own team of adjusters and lawyers to represent its interests. The best way to protect yourself is by working with an experienced South Carolina car accident lawyer. They can give you an honest evaluation of your case and help you decide how to move forward. If you decide to hire a law firm, they can fight for your right to maximum compensation.

Hurt in an Auto Accident? We Can Help.

Being in a car accident can be incredibly stressful. Staying calm and taking the time to gather information can make a huge difference in the ultimate success of your case. When you can, reach out to our law firm to schedule an appointment.

The Derrick Law Office works to help accident victims get the compensation that they deserve for their injuries. We are committed to helping our clients understand their rights – and getting them top dollar for their losses. To learn more or to schedule a free initial consultation with a Simpsonville car accident lawyer, give us a call at 864-501-5241 or fill out our online contact form.