A car accident is often a traumatic event, leaving confusion, stress, pain, and fear in its wake. It is no surprise that often, people fail to recognize the full impact the accident had on their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Like so many events in life, a car crash is not a planned event and takes us by surprise. With that in mind, the following article aims to provide you with a basic road map to follow and a list of actions to take. The hope is that by having this information available to you, the stress and confusion following an accident will not be so overwhelming.
Accident happened. What do I do now?
- First, make sure you are ok. Ensuring the safety of everyone involved is a priority. Run a mental check from your head to your toes. Does anything hurt? Is there any tingling or numbness sensation anywhere? Can you wiggle your fingers and toes? What about anyone else in your vehicle? If you have passengers in the car, ask them to run the same mental check to make sure they have not suffered serious injuries requiring immediate medical attention. Moving an injured person incorrectly could make their injuries worse, especially if they sustained a head or spinal injury. To prevent worsening their condition, always err on the side of caution and defer to medical professionals when you, or someone in your car, sustain serious injuries.
- Is the vehicle’s location safe post-crash? If the accident occurred on a busy road and staying on it exposes you to risk further, moving the car off to the side of the road is best. Of course, you should only do that if it is safe and your car is drivable. Make sure to activate your car’s emergency lights as soon as possible to alert others of your situation.
- Call 911. Depending on the circumstances of the crash, police and/or emergency personnel may or may not be dispatched to your accident. While it is always best to have police presence to assist, they are often unavailable for non-emergency situations and may not respond to the scene, especially if both vehicles are still drivable and none require emergency medical attention. Ideally, the police will respond, but you should be prepared in the event they don’t.
- Exchange insurance information. Ask the other driver to provide you with their insurance card and driver’s license and take a picture of both. Provide the other driver with your insurance card if requested. You must also provide the other driver with your name and contact information.
- Photograph the crash site. If possible, take pictures of the crash site at the point of impact (before the cars are moved if it is safe to do so). Make sure the photographs you take capture the entire scene including the positions of the vehicles in relation to each other and the road. Close up and distant pictures are ideal to document the scene. Often, a video serves as a perfect tool to capture everything as still photographs can later be extracted from the video.
- Photograph property damage. In addition to pictures/videos of the scene, be sure to take pictures, video or both, of the property damage to all the vehicles involved in the crash. Again, close ups and wider shots are best.
- Witness information. Get the contact information of all the people at the scene. This includes passengers in any of the vehicles as well as passersby that witnessed the accident. Make sure to get full names, phone number and addresses. Taking a picture of their ID’s would be great if they are willing to share that with you.
- File an accident report with the Oregon DMV. In Oregon, you must file an Oregon Traffic Accident and Insurance Report with the DMV within 72 hours of the crash if anyone in the crash suffered an injury or the property damage exceeds $2,500. You can file your report on line by using this link: File Accident Report in Oregon Online.
Obviously, you are going to have many more questions after an accident.
Do I call the other driver’s insurance company to report the accident?
Do I file a claim with my own insurance company?
Should I get medical treatment?
Who will pay for the damage to the car?
Will I be able to get a rental while my car is being repaired?
Will I get a settlement for my injuries?
Who will pay for my medical treatment?
What if I can’t work, who will pay my wages?
Accidents are stressful events leading to much consternation and uncertainty. Best advice is to take a deep breath and know that you are not alone. You can find answers to the questions above on our website simply by clicking on any of the questions. You can also find answers to those and many other questions by contacting us. We are here for you, period. Our job is to ease your stress, protect your interests and guide you through the legal process with compassion and integrity. Consulting with us is always free and if you hire us, we never charge a fee unless we get you a recovery. So, give us a call and let us put your mind at ease.
