What should I do if I’ve been involved in a car accident?

Sometimes plans or days don’t meet your expectations. But what happens when an accident disrupts your day? Or, more specifically, how should you deal with the aftermath of a car accident and the injuries that have resulted?

When you get an accident, a million details might cross your mind. At the scene, and even after, is not the time and place for you to play detective to try and figure out how and why the car crash happened. Instead, you should call for help and document the scene as much as possible.

Specifically, here are four steps you can take if you’ve been involved in a car accident:

1) Call for emergency help

In North Carolina, when an accident results in injury, death or significant property damage, you must call the police to come to the scene. Not only will this allow any necessary first-responders to treat the injuries of anyone involved, but it will also create documentation of the accident.

2) Don’t admit fault

While waiting for police to arrive to the scene and when you face questions about your side of the accident, it’s important not to admit fault. If you throw the idea out that you may have caused the incident, then it will be hard to file a claim and receive damages. This is because even if you give reason to believe the accident is just slightly your fault, then you won’t be able to recover damages.

3) Track damage and injuries

If a 9-1-1 call takes place at the scene, insurance companies will have a report to reference when deciding what type and how much compensation they will award. Further documentation may also aid in your claim, like a written account from your perspective and photos. So, you can try and jot down any details you want to remember or snap photos once you find a safe place to pull over.

4) Exchange contact information

Lastly, you will want to get the contact information of the other driver, even if you aren’t sure you want to file a claim yet. This can include their name, phone number, address, license plate number and insurance information.

When you are a victim of a car crash, it’s best you focus on healing. You shouldn’t try to figure out what went wrong or what the other driver was thinking. Instead, allow a police officer to document an official report and a personal injury attorney can help you piece together the puzzle, build your case and seek proper compensation.