No matter how safely you drive, there is always the risk that you could be involved in a car accident at some point. Having a good auto accident lawyer can make a world of difference when it comes to making sure you protect yourself and that you build the best possible case. Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner proudly serves the Houston, TX, area and are happy to help you better understand this process.
The Eight Things You Should Do Immediately After an Auto Accident
1. Check Over Yourself
Car accidents can happen anywhere: Houston, TX included. While an auto accident lawyer can help you handle the aftermath, it’s important to have a good idea of what to do at the moment, no matter where you are.
Right after an accident, it’s possible that you may not feel an injury due to adrenaline taking over. Even so, it’s crucial that you check yourself over and make sure it’s safe for you to move. The last thing you want is to injure yourself further. Try to take a moment to breathe and clear your mind as you check yourself for injuries. If you need medical assistance, immediately call 911 or ask another person to do it for you.
2. Check Your Passengers
It’s important to check yourself even when traveling with others, as knowing your own condition will help you know whether it’s safe for you to try to help your passengers. Once you’ve made sure that you’re okay, check over your passengers. Ask them how they feel, and if they have suffered a neck injury, remind them to stay still.
It’s important that those with a serious injury or neck injury stay as still and calm as possible as they wait for the ambulance. When the ambulance arrives, they will be able to safely move your passengers. Trying to move someone with a serious injury on your own could do more harm than good.
3. Carefully Move
If this was a minor accident, you may be able to move your car. Blocking traffic can be a hazard. If you can do so safely, try to move your car to the side of the road so traffic can pass. The other car involved in the accident should do the same. If you cannot move the car, call 911 and let the dispatcher know.
4. Call 911
We’ve mentioned calling for help if you’re injured or can’t move the car, but this is a very important step even in minor accidents where you’re able to move the car yourself and haven’t noticed any injuries. If you cannot call the number yourself, you can ask someone else to do it for you. Either way, 911 should be notified as quickly as possible.
5. Get Information
It’s important to get as much information as possible in this situation. While it’s common for people to simply exchange numbers and the names of their insurance companies, we recommend gathering more information than that. It may be a good idea to get the person’s full name and address in addition to their contact information.
When it comes to insurance information, we recommend getting their policy number in addition to the name of their insurance. You may want to get their driver’s license information and their license plate number as well.
6. Document the Area
One of the best benefits of cell phones is the easy ability to take pictures. We recommend putting that to good use as you take pictures of your car, the other person’s car, and the area of the accident.
Take plenty of pictures from various angles so you can really capture the scene. Be sure to also thoroughly document any damage that has happened to your car and their car. This is also an easy way to document license plate information.
7. Speak to the Police
Gathering all this information can be helpful as you explain things to the police. You can show them the pictures you’ve taken as you tell them what happened. Being thorough as you give them information will help them make an accurate report.
You may want to ask them for a copy of their report in case you need it later. You can also ask the officers for their badge numbers and names, which can help when it comes time to file a claim.
8. Contact Us
Once you’ve gathered all the information you need and have spoken to the police, it’s time to contact an auto accident lawyer. Our professionals can help you navigate this process and can even give you advice on how to handle your insurance.
Ways To Remember These Steps
Keep It Simple
Car accidents are an unfortunate fact of life, but even minor accidents can leave you feeling shaken. If you’re concerned that you may not remember all these steps at the moment, it can be helpful to try to boil it down to three main steps, which include:
- Check for injuries
- Call for help
- Gather information
If you can keep those three main goals in mind, you’ll be off to a good start.
Why Seek Out an Auto Accident Lawyer in Houston, TX?
To Build a Strong Case
An insurance adjuster will likely contact you fairly quickly after you’ve suffered an accident. The adjuster will usually want to get things squared away as soon as possible, which may not always be in your best interest. The settlement they offer could look good at surface level, but in the end, your insurance may try to pay as little as they can get away with.
If your insurance tries to use fear tactics or pressure you into accepting a settlement, you may not know what to do. That’s where our experience comes into play. We want your settlement to be fair. That means understanding the full extent of your injuries and protecting you from bullying tactics insurance companies may try to employ. We can help you build the strongest possible case so you don’t prevent yourself from receiving additional reimbursement down the road.
Get Good Treatment
We have the resources and knowledge available to help you get the help you need. The average person usually doesn’t have a list of doctors they know, with many people only being familiar with their own primary care providers. If your insurance company is being challenging, or if you lack insurance altogether, that can make things even more difficult.
You shouldn’t feel as though you don’t have any options when it comes to getting the high-quality treatment you deserve. Trying to handle this on your own can often be overwhelming, confusing, and very frustrating. We will help you better understand your options and connect you with people who can help.
Protect Yourself
Even if you are partly at fault, our experienced team can help you avoid a worse outcome. Whether or not you have any fault, a counsel or insurance representative from the other involved person may try to contact you. While a simple phone call may seem harmless, the person questioning you will probably have extensive experience. They may frame questions or guide the conversation to try to help their client as much as possible, which could hurt your case.
Car accidents are stressful enough without having to worry about protecting yourself alone. Let our professionals help you so you have more time to focus on recovering. Contact us at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner to set up your consultation and learn more about how we can help.