Nobody ever plans to have an accident, and keeping your head when you are unfortunate enough to be involved in one is never easy. But, knowing ahead of time what to do when you are in an accident can make resolving your personal injury claim much easier later on. This article covers what you should do if you have been involved in a car accident in Oklahoma.
Get Help
Immediately following an accident, the first thing you want to do is to get to safety and, if you can, help others to safety. If you are able to move your car to a safer location, do so. Afterward, make sure that everyone in your car is all right. Check for bleeding, make sure no one is having a heart attack and make sure there are no major problems with the passengers in your vehicle.
Then, call 911 and get the police, the fire department and ambulances involved right away. You want these professionals on the way to help you and your passengers as soon as possible. If you have any injuries, seek medical treatment. Do not try to assume that you will be ok. For one thing, you may not be aware of how bad your injuries are at that time. Furthermore, lack of documented medical treatment might hurt your chances to recover damages. Follow whatever advice you are given by medical personnel on the scene and fully cooperate with the police.
Collect Evidence
The next thing you want to do is obtain information about the person who caused your accident. Get his or her driver’s license number, insurance policy information, license plate number and anything that you think is necessary to help identify the person. It is also recommended that you use your phone’s camera to take pictures of the accident, the vehicles and the other person(s) who was involved in the accident. Take a picture of any witnesses and get their statements as well.
Also, take picture of any skid marks, potholes, traffic signs or anything else that may have been an obstruction to either driver’s view. Additionally, document anything else that could establish liability for the accident and/ or the damages you suffered. Once the accident is cleaned up, you will have lost the chance to gather evidence, so it very important that you start the process of collecting and documenting evidence immediately. Doing so will help your attorney resolve your case with the best possible results. Individuals who preserve evidence immediately after an accident often recover more compensation because there are fewer disputes over the facts of the case.
Notify Your Insurance Company
Next, it is wise to notify your insurance company of the accident. Report to them what happened as accurately as possible. It is important to report to your own insurance company whether you were at fault or not, because the other driver may be under insured or not insured at all. It is also necessary that you notify the other driver’s insurance company as soon as possible. Give them your name and insurance information, then provide them with a brief version of the accident. It is wise to consult a skilled personal injury lawyer at this stage to advocate on your behalf with the insurance companies.
Accidents often happen at the most inconvenient times. But what you do immediately after an accident can have a huge impact on if and how much compensation you receive for your damages. For this reason, remembering what do immediately after an accident to protect yourself legally is extremely important.
Free Consultation: Oklahoma Personal Injury Lawyer
If you have been in an accident, you want to contact an experienced Tulsa personal injury lawyer to protect your interest, immediately. For a free consultation and car accident case evaluation, call Tulsa Personal Injury Law Office today. Contact your personal injury lawyer at (918) 924-5528, toll free at (888) 447-7262 or send us a question using the form on the right side of this page.
