The Auto Accident Lawyer and Beyond: After the Crash

Any good auto accident lawyer will tell you that the steps you take following a crash could have a big impact on how an eventual case goes down. Whether you’ve been injured or not, it’s important that you follow these steps to not only ensure that things go right from an insurance and legal standpoint, but that you preserve your right to sue for damages should things begin to head in that direction. Don’t worry about who was at fault, or if there was shared fault. Those things can be examined by an auto accident lawyer at a later time. For now, take the time to carefully follow these steps, which will give you a head start on any legal proceedings that may need to take place in the future.

First things first. If you’ve been involved in a crash, don’t even think about leaving the scene. An auto accident lawyer can tell you that anyone who makes such a mistake is leaving themselves open to a number of legal problems. One, if the crash was your fault, you could be held liable for hit and run charges, which could be serious. Even if it wasn’t your fault, you need to stay put for the time being so you can follow the rest of the steps. This is a precarious time frame and you don’t want to make snap decisions before you’ve had time to clear your head and think about them.

Next, exchange information with the other driver. You’ll want to get their full name, address, phone number, and all of the pertinent information about the car they are driving. If they have insurance, you’ll want to get this information as well. One great thing about the modern era is that more people than ever are walking around with digital cameras in their pockets. If you have a phone that takes pictures, snap a few of any damage that was done in the crash. On site pictures can mean a lot in a court, as there is no disputing whether further damage was done after both parties left the scene.

If the crash is very minor and no damage was done, there is little need to involve the authorities. If it is anything more than that, however, you’ll want to get the police on the scene to file a report. If the other person is ticketed for the crash, it can be used as powerful evidence for your auto accident lawyer should the case go to court. Even if the incident occurred on private property, a police officer can assign fault to a party, which will make a great deal of difference later on. Even if no damage is visible at the time of the accident, it isn’t the worst idea to get the cops involved anyway. Some injuries fail to manifest themselves until hours or even days later.

Finally, contact an auto accident attorney if you believe you will want to file a suit against the other party and their insurance company.