8 Things to Do After a Car Accident

Whether you’re driving to work or you’re driving across the state on a roadtrip with your family, a car accident can be one of the most detrimental occurrences. It can derail your plans for the day if you’re lucky; at worst, it can greatly affect your life for years to come.
Here at Metier Law Firm, our personal injury attorneys handle serious cases of personal injury resulting from car accidents. We’ve seen both the initial damage and the long-lasting damage that can occur from a car accident, and we’re committed to helping individuals and families get compensation and peace after the accident.
Our personal injury law firm specializes in a variety of forms of personal injury law, including car crashes. We serve car accident clients throughout Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Oregon, and Washington and we’d be honored to help you in the process of restoring your physical and financial health following a car accident. We’ve been injury lawyers for more than 30 years and have seen the damage that can occur — don’t try to do this alone. Contact Metier Law Firm today to schedule a risk-free consultation with a personal injury attorney.

1. Move to a Safe Area If Possible

Car accident injuries can be immense. Burns, broken bones, and more could prevent you from exiting your vehicle and moving away from traffic. If this is the case, then stay where you are and trust that help is on the way; most likely, someone has already called 911 in a situation like this.
If the injuries are painful but you feel you are capable of moving, then attempt to move to a safe area. Cars are very likely to stop at the scene of the accident if it’s in the middle of the road. However, even without traffic as a problem, it could still be safer to exit the vehicle because of the risk of fire, explosion, leaking gas, etc.
2. Call the Police
Next, it’s necessary to call the police. Many people don’t feel the need to do this after minor accidents. Though our personal injury attorneys handle cases that are considered more involved and dangerous than minor accidents, we still can’t stress this point enough! Too often, people don’t call the police.
When police officers arrive, they’ll make a report of the scene and be able to corroborate information in the future if you work with an injury lawyer on your personal injury claim. It’s important to allow the police officer to objectively judge the scene and events while making the report and gathering information.
3. Make an Accurate Record
Now it’s time to make an accurate record of what transpired. Depending on the extent of your injuries at the scene of the accident, this may or may not be possible. If you work with a personal injury attorney in the future, then this information will prove invaluable in your claim:

• Witnesses: Ask for contact information and personal statements from all witnesses at the scene. When you work with a personal injury law firm later, these witnesses may be contacted to assist in your case.
• Photos: Take photos of the scene and your immediate injuries from a variety of angles. If your phone was damaged in the accident or can’t be found, then ask a witness or police officer to take photos.
• Other Driver: Get the name and contact information for the other driver, along with their license plate number, the make and model of their vehicle, and their insurance information. If there was a passenger in the other driver’s vehicle, then be sure to get their name and contact information as well.
• Setting: Write down the time of the accident, what happened in your own words, and the exact location of the accident.

4. Don’t Admit Responsibility

Any injury lawyer will tell you that, throughout the entire time you’re gathering information, speaking with first responders, etc., it’s important you don’t admit responsibility for the accident. Injury law can be difficult to grasp initially, but admitting fault is never a good idea. Even if, at the scene of the accident, you think it was all your fault, your personal injury attorney later may uncover information about the other driver that could completely absolve you of fault. However, if you’re on record in the past saying you’re responsible, then your personal injury claim may not go the way you’d like it to.
So remember, as you speak with police officers, witnesses, the other driver, and insurance companies, don’t admit fault.
5. Visit Your Doctor
Car accident injuries can range from minor injuries to severe personal injuries such as crushed bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, loss of limbs, burn injuries, and even death. Here at Metier Law Firm, we handle these severe, life-altering injuries in order to help you and your family get the compensation you deserve after a harrowing accident. It’s imperative you visit the hospital immediately.
In the event that you don’t think your injuries are even that bad, our personal injury attorneys still recommend visiting a doctor immediately. This will make you aware of any unseen injuries that may have occurred — such as internal bleeding, for example. However, this will also serve as another record of the damage the car accident caused. On top of this, you’ll have these records if the onset of the car accident injuries occurs later.
When you visit your doctor for car accident injuries, it’s also absolutely necessary that you save all records pertaining to your visits. Depending on how your personal injury claim with your insurance company goes or how your case with your injury lawyer goes, you’ll be reimbursed for the cost of medical care. You’ll need detailed records of how much you spent, what the money was spent on, and when you spent it.
6. Talk to Your Insurance Company
Finally, it’s time to speak with your insurance company to file a claim. Everything you need in order to do so — such as the name and address of the driver and their insurance information — should be included in the record you made in step three on this list.
It’s important that you notify your insurance company of the accident quickly in order to get the best results. When you talk with them, remember not to admit fault. Find out if your coverage includes medical benefits, often referred to as MedPay. As personal injury attorneys, we recommend that you cooperate with the insurance company and provide the needed information, but don’t divulge more than you need to; tell your insurance company that you’ll get back to its representatives with more information after you speak with your personal injury attorney.
7. Meet With a Personal Injury Attorney
We’ve been alluding to your meeting with a personal injury attorney for this entire blog now, but it’s actually one of the final steps on this list. Everything else you’ve done on this list, however, will help you when you meet with an injury attorney in Wyoming. By doing this, you’ll have most, if not all, of the information you need for your personal injury claim or lawsuit to move along successfully.
Here at our personal injury law firm, we know how devastating a serious car injury can be. Our personal injury attorneys are experienced in handling cases with tact and passion so you can hopefully get compensation for your car accident injuries. Get started with a personal injury attorney in Wyoming today by scheduling a risk-free consultation.
8. Keep a Journal
Finally, one other aspect our injury attorneys recommend is that you keep a journal throughout your personal injury claim process. Include pertinent information like hospital visits, cost of care, loss of work, and the emotional stress the accident has caused for you and your family. All of these can be covered and addressed by a personal injury settlement, and a detailed journal can serve as evidence in court. Be as detailed with this journal as you can be; our injury lawyers have seen clients include their medical records in their journals following the accident, along with photos and more.

Meet With a Personal Injury Attorney Today

Our injury attorneys are committed to your well-being and will do everything in your best interest from start to finish. There can be many causes of car accidents, including bad weather, adverse road conditions, reckless driving, defective tires or brakes, or excessive speed. When you choose Metier Law Firm as your personal injury firm, you’ll benefit from many personal injury attorneys who have experience with all of the causes listed above, along with a large variety of car accident injuries.
We know how difficult the car accident and subsequent weeks, months, or even years can be. We make it as easy as possible for you by offering a risk-free consultation with a personal injury attorney once you contact us. Furthermore, our personal injury attorneys are paid on a contingent fee basis — meaning the legal fee is a percentage of the amount recovered. There is no fee unless and until money is actually collected for you. Contact us today to get started with a car accident lawyer today.