The aftermath of a car accident is complicated and often overwhelming. You may be unsure of what steps you should take to protect your interests and how you can move forward after such a traumatic event. If your car accident was the result of the reckless or negligent actions of another Missouri driver, you may have grounds to pursue legal action against the responsible party. What you say and do after an accident matters, especially if you believe that pursuing a civil claim is a prudent course of action.
It is in your interests to know what to do after a car accident and what steps you should take to preserve your chances of financial recovery. Smart actions in the immediate aftermath of a crash and in the days and weeks that follow can increase your chance of success and make it more likely that you will secure the compensation you need and deserve. A car accident can change your life in many ways, but there are steps you can take to preserve your long-term interests.
Right after a crash
In the immediate aftermath of a crash, you may feel unsure of what to do next. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to dealing with the aftermath of an accident, the following steps are helpful and practical:
- Check to ensure that there are no injuries, and if there are, call for medical assistance.
- If possible, move injured victims to safety and vehicles out of oncoming traffic.
- Exchange information with other drivers, as well as passengers and witnesses who saw what happened.
Once you have taken those immediate steps, you will then benefit from documenting as much of the accident scene as possible. Take pictures of the position of the vehicles, damage done to the vehicles and other important details.
In the days and weeks following the crash
After the crash, what you do in the days and weeks following can be just as important as what you do in the immediate aftermath of the accident. You will benefit from keeping track of your medical bills and other losses you experience as a result of the accident. You will also find it helpful to contact your insurance company to inform them of what happened. You may want to seek insight regarding your legal options as soon as possible as this could prevent the loss of important evidence that could be critical for your case.
