Senior Personal Injury - After the Accident

Personal injury

Personal injury means physical damage to your body. Most Americans will be in a car accident at some point. When it happens, you may not know what to do or how to handle yourself.

Here's what to do if you've been in a car accident:

If you or anyone else is injured: Call 911 or ask someone to call for you right away. Serious injury or death takes priority over everything else—fault, blame, and inconvenience don't matter. It's both the right thing to do and the law.

If no one is seriously hurt:

• Call the police and stay at the scene. Don't leave, even if there's little damage, you're in a hurry, or you think you're at fault. Leaving the scene is illegal and puts the other driver in control of the narrative.
• Stay calm and don't accuse or threaten. The accident already happened. What matters now is how you're perceived by the other driver and the police officer. Being friendly or neutral works in your favor; being hostile can backfire if there's any doubt about what happened.
• Write down the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all drivers involved. Get each person's insurance company name, policy number, and phone number. The police officer will collect most of this, but having your own copy is still useful.
• Cooperate with the police report. Answer their questions directly, but keep your answers brief and factual. Don't elaborate or inject emotion. Changing what you said later is difficult or impossible.

• Don't admit fault, even if you think the accident was your fault. You may not have all the facts. The other driver could have been intoxicated or had mechanical trouble.
• Take photos of all vehicles involved—both outside and inside. If you don't have a camera at the scene, ask the police officer for the tow yard location and photograph the vehicles there. Photos protect you if the other party later claims damage or injury you don't believe is real.
• See a doctor soon if you have any pain. Medical records are essential for any insurance settlement.
• Photograph your injuries. Bruises and cuts fade, but deep tissue damage may not heal completely. Photos document the severity of what happened.
• Talk to a lawyer before completing insurance forms or giving recorded statements to any insurance company—including your own.
• Bring all your household auto insurance policies to your attorney. You may have coverage under a different policy.
• Get legal advice before signing any check or document from an insurance company.