What Should I Do Immediately After a Car Accident in New York?
Car accidents are scary and traumatic experiences, even for people who are involved but do not get injured. When car accidents happen, a lot of moving parts go into play very quickly, and it can be confusing to know what to do in that kind of situation.
The most important immediate concern after a car accident is to make sure you yourself are okay. That means focusing on getting the medical attention you need and having first responders tend to your injuries. Once that is taken care of, you can go about collecting as much information about the accident as possible. This can tremendously help your case if you choose to file a car accident lawsuit.
For help with your case, call The Carrion Law Firm at (718) 841-0083 to get a free analysis of your situation from our New York car accident Lawyers.
Steps to Take Immediately After a Car Accident in New York
There are things you need to do right after a car accident, primarily to make sure you are safe and get the care and attention you need. However, some things can also help if you wish to pursue a car accident lawsuit later down the line. Below is a list of things our Bronx car accident lawyers have determined to be very helpful right after a car accident happens.
Get Medical Attention
The first and most important thing you need to do right after a car accident is to get medical attention. Getting the care you need should be your first priority. Let any first responders and medical personnel who come to the scene of the accident tend to you and follow all of their instructions. If you are going to be taken to the hospital, that is what you should do. If, after medical professionals have examined you, you are able to stay at the accident, you should proceed to do the other things outlined below.
If possible, it may be a good idea to assist anyone else who is injured by the accident. Of course, defer to medical professionals and let them do their job, but helping to stem bleeding or assisting in other ways before medical professionals arrive can save lives.
Make Sure 911 is Called
Another important step is to make sure that someone has called emergency services to get to the accident. If you are capable of doing so and nobody else has taken the initiative, dial 911 and tell them all the details you can about the accident.
If the accident takes place on public transportation, it may be the driver’s responsibility to dial 911. However, the accident may have incapacitated them, or they may otherwise be unable to make the call. In those circumstances, you may have to call emergency services yourself. Alternatively, you could try and delegate someone else to dial 911. In emergency situations, people tend to react faster when specifically told to do something. For example, picking someone out of a crowd and telling them, “Call an ambulance,” is more effective than saying, “Will anyone call an ambulance?”
Collect Information About the Accident
If you are able to stay near the accident, the next step is to collect as much information as you can about it. The most important information to obtain is the name, insurance information, and license plate number of any drivers involved in the accident. In an ideal scenario, you are able to get all of this information and more. However, lots of things can happen that may prevent you from getting all of this content. For example, if another driver is being taken to the emergency room, you probably won’t be able to get their name and insurance right away, but you may be able to get their license plate number. Alternatively, if another vehicle is so thoroughly destroyed that it is not recognizable, the license plate may not be obtainable.
Other important information to obtain includes the names of any witnesses, where the accident took place, the time of day, and the make and model of the vehicle that hit you. No detail or piece of information is too small or frivolous to potentially be useful in building your case.
Talk to Police
While you are at the scene of the accident, it is important to give your side of the story to the responding police officer. When they take your statement, there will be a record of what you say that can be used to help bolster your case later down the line. Moreover, if you don’t talk to the police and give your side of the story, chances are any other drivers who may want to file a lawsuit will talk to the police, and then the narrative is fully theirs, without any input on your part.
Another step to take slightly down the line in some circumstances is to file a police report. While the report may not be able to be used as evidence, it can help to bolster your argument before the court.
Call Our Lawyers
Once the initial flurry of events after a car accident is over and after you have sufficiently recovered from your injuries, that is the time to think about whether you want to file a car accident lawsuit or not. When our Flushing car accident lawyers go over a case with you, the information you collected right after the accident – be that a lot of information or a little – will be incredibly helpful in building a strong case for you to bring to court.
Talk with our New York Car Accident Lawyers about Your Accident Today
The Carrion Law Firm’s Garden City car accident lawyers can help with your case when you call (718) 841-0083.