I was in a Traffic Accident – What do I do?

Today, you were in a traffic accident. It was your first, and you are injured.  What do you do?  

Experienced injury attorneys and accident lawyers know this is a scary time for you.  You do not know the full extent of your injuries.  You do not know how long you will be off work, and you do not know how long you will have this pain.  First things first, do not panic.  Take a deep breath.  From the collision scene, you should seek medical attention.  If your injuries are severe enough – go to the hospital by ambulance.  Do not play the hero.  Your injuries are unpredictable at this time and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you do not go to the hospital by ambulance seek medical care immediately.  Have someone drive you to the hospital.  Go to your doctor’s office, go to an immediate care center, but seek out medical care. 

As to the damage to your car, let it be towed to where you want, a body shop, your favorite dealer, an impound lot.  Let your insurance company know what has happened either by calling them yourself of by having a family member or friend call.  You do not have to wait for the person whose negligence caused the collision to turn in the claim to their insurance company.  You can call them yourself or have a family member or friend turn in the claim.  Give the insurance company the location of the vehicle and ask them to appraise the damage.  I recommend that you do not give them a statement at this time.  Also ask them for a rental car until your car is repaired or the settlement for the total damages on the car is paid. 

If these things seem a little overwhelming, you may want to contact an attorney to perform these tasks for you.  This gives you the opportunity to relax, and concentrate on your healing.  This will also allow the smart accident attorney and injury lawyer to begin their investigation by speaking to witnesses and taking pictures. 

One thing you will receive in the mail is an SR-21 form from the State.  This is a proof of financial responsibility form which the State requires to be completed within 90 days of the collision, even if it was not your fault.  You provide this to your insurance agent, who then completes it and sends it to the state.  If you do not complete this form, your license will be suspended.  There will be fees for reinstating the license if you do not complete the SR-21 form in a timely fashion. 

Young and Young has 55 years of experience handling auto accident cases.  Let our family help your family.  Give us a call.