What Should You Do If You Are Injured In An Automobile Accident

Copyright (c) 2011 Jordan Taylor

If you\'ve been hurt in a car accident there are a few things you make sure to do.

Before you do anything else, you should stop. If you fail to stop after a car accident and someone is injured in the wreck, you will be cited with a felony. Should you fail to stop after an accident and there\'s no injury, but there is still property damage, you will be cited with a misdemeanor violation.

After stopping, you should call emergency services and report the wreck, and let the 911 operators know there are any injuries. You should always take an ambulance to the ER if one is called. It is normal for people involved in accidents to suffer serious injury, and they don\'t take an ambulance to the emergency room, because they do not look like they are hurt or they do not think they are injured enough to warrant going to the emergency room. It is all too common for people to believe they are okay after a car accident because they are so shocked that they do not realize they are hurt until quite some time after the incident.

If you don\'t believe you have been seriously hurt you should set out flares for the safety of you and others involved in the wreck. However, if your car is in a place with a lot of fast moving traffic around you, wait for law enforcement outside of your automobile. It is critical for you to move off the intersection whenever up can, and to move away from your vehicle, because it may be struck by another car.

Always be sure to make an incident report when law enforcement shows up. You should cooperate with law enforcement and answer inquiries, but do not feel compelled to make admissions or give your own personal opinions as to how the accident happened. Only tell them what you know. It is important for you to ask anyone witnessing the accident if they will provide a statement for the police. If anyone asks if they can assist you, or tells you they saw the accident, ask them if they would be willing to be a witness if one is needed. Get their name, address, and phone number and ask them to make a statement to the police. Make sure you have the police report prior to leaving the accident. If you do not get the citation number before leaving the accident, or being taken to the hospital, you can usually find it at the police station.

If you are able, you should get the contact information of the other people involved in the crash. This should include the numbers and addresses of all the other drivers, the numbers and addresses of all the registered owners of all the vehicles involved in the accident, the license plate numbers of the vehicles involved in the accident, the state registration of all the vehicles involved in the accident, the vehicle identification # for all the vehicles involved in the auto accident, if the other vehicle is a two-piece truck you should get the license plate number and the VIN and state for both the cab and trailer.

Make sure to take detailed notes so you do not forget all the facts that happened just before the incident.

Don\'t speak to any insurance companies or sign any papers until you call an attorney because they know how to protect your rights. You should always see a medical provider as soon as possible after an auto accident. It is always best to go to the emergency room and follow up with your doctor, and follow their instructions to seek further medical care so you can reach your maximum physical recovery.


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Jordan Taylor is a freelance writer specializing in legal special interest articles for Las Vegas Personal Injury Attorneys and Las Vegas DUI Lawyers.