Being involved in a car accident may be the scariest event many people face their entire lives. The shock and excitement that comes from being involved in such an event may make it difficult for those involved to slow their train of thought down, but this is exactly what needs to happen. The period of time in between when the accident occurs, and when the police clean up the scene, is crucial to determining fault and whether any mitigating factors exist for defending oneself should he/she be sued for resulting injuries. If you are involved in an accident, you should pay attention to the following.
Things You Should Do:
A. Call the police.
Contact the police right away. Dial 9-1-1 and demand that an ambulance or fire truck be sent immediately should you find that one is necessary. If you have been injured in an accident, you should ask for an ambulance regardless as many injuries may not be apparent right away (such as a head injury), and injured parties are required to mitigate damages.
B. Check on the occupants of the other vehicle, but don’t move them if they’re injured.
If you find that other occupants are injured, you may talk to them to see how they are doing, but you should be careful not to touch them. The last thing you want to do is make an already bad situation worse. Let qualified professionals do their job.
C. Exchange insurance information if possible, and get any other information you can including license plate numbers, drivers’ licenses, etc.
You should get as much of this information as you can while at the scene as it will make filing insurance claims and lawsuits easier later on.
D. Witnesses?
You should try to identify witnesses at the scene of the accident, and point them out to the police so that the police can more accurately produce an accident report. These witnesses may also come in handy should a trial be on the horizon, and even if a trial is not necessary, these witnesses may provide leverage as you negotiate a settlement.
E. Take pictures of your car, roads, etc.
Just like identifying potential witnesses, it is important to gather as much evidence at the scene of the accident as possible. Pictures can help point out signs and lights, road conditions, etc. Take these pictures as long as it is safe to do so.
F. Contact your insurer
You should contact your insurer to give them notice that you were involved in an accident. It may be necessary to open a PIP claim if you have been injured. It is important to discuss your case with an experienced Personal Injury attorney in Michigan today to determine what your legal rights are.
Contact a Michigan Attorney Today
If you were involved in a car accident, it is important to step into action to preserve useful evidence, and to make sure no more harm comes from the incident than that which already occurred. Doing the right thing may absolve you of criminal or civil liability, or it may help you build a case should you find that the other driver acted negligently. Contact an experienced Michigan Car Accident Attorney today at 586-268-2400 to discuss your case.