Ten Things You Should Do If You Are Involved In A Car Accident

Were you injured in a car accident? A motor vehicle accident can be a painful, stressful, and confusing experience. You may be contacted by insurance companies and investigators, you will have to fill out forms, and you may wonder who will pay your medical bills and lost wages.

Here is some useful information and the benefit of having an experienced personal injury attorney represent you.

1. Do Not Leave the Accident Scene If you are involved in a car accident, you must stay at the accident scene until you exchange information with the other driver or you may be criminally prosecuted.
2. Avoid Additional Collisions Take steps to avoid additional collisions such as moving your car to the side of the road, invoking flasher lights, lighting flares, and raising the hood of your car.
3. Exchange Information Exchange information with the operator of the other motor vehicle(s) including the name, address, date of birth, and driver’s license number of the operator and owner of the car (if different from the operator), registration number, and name of the insurance company. (Always keep a pen and a small pad of paper in your car.)
4. Inform the Police Contacting the police is very important, because the police will prepare a detailed motor vehicle accident report. This report will contain important facts regarding your claim that will come in handy when you seek legal advice.
5. Never Admit Liability Never admit your liability before you seek legal advice from a personal injury attorney. When you are speaking with other drivers, passengers, paramedics or police, just provide a truthful account of the incident – do not accept responsibility for the accident.
6. Get Appropriate Information If possible, you should attempt to obtain the following information: Names and addresses of witnesses; Note the damage to the motor vehicles; Note any skid marks and the approximate distance; Draw a diagram of the scene, noting the names of streets, intersections, traffic signals or signs, and location of the motor vehicles; and, if you happen to have a camera with you, take photos of the scene and motor vehicles.
7. File Accident Reports Obtain and fill out an “Operator’s Report of Motor Vehicle Accident.” This form may be obtained from the police department or from the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Send the original to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles and one copy to the police department in whose jurisdiction the accident occurred. Keep a copy for your files. Before you send it out, the report should be reviewed by your attorney.
8. Inform Your Insurance Company Report the accident immediately to your insurance company or agent in writing without any detailed description of the accident. (Keep a copy of the letter for your file.) The attorney’s job will be to fill in the blanks for the insurance company later.
9. Medical Treatment If you are injured, seek appropriate medical treatment and follow your doctor’s orders regarding any treatment (i.e. physical therapy), tests (i.e. x-ray and M.R.I.) and prescriptions.
10. Legal Advice Contact an attorney. A Massachusetts motor vehicle accident attorney is experienced in dealing with the various issues that arise following a car accident such as contacting insurance companies, processing motor vehicle accident claims and PIP claims (compensation for medical bills and lost wages), evaluating and settling claims, and, if necessary, litigating car accident claims.

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