Victoria C. Swanson Personal Injury Law Blog on Lawyers.com

After Car Accident: First Steps

Wednesday, August 12, 2009 by Victoria C. Swanson

What to Do After a Car Accident

Car accidents are sudden, unexpected events that can leave parties involved feeling stunned and confused. If you are involved in a Colorado Springs car accident and are fortunate enough to avoid serious injuries requiring urgent medical attention, then there are some steps you can take following the accident to significantly improve your chances of reaching a settlement in the future.

At the scene of the accident

The first and perhaps most obvious point is to stay at the scene of the accident. In Colorado, as elsewhere, there are serious penalties for hit-and-run drivers.

Call the police.
Exchange contact information with the other drivers involved.
Talk to witnesses and obtain contact information of witnesses, if possible. If possible, record what they tell you.
If possible, take photographs of the accident scene, including damage to your vehicle.

Note: you should be very careful when talking to the other parties involved in the accident. Apologies and admissions of fault can be used against you when trying to reach a settlement.

Beyond the scene of the accident

After the police have arrived and you are free to leave the scene of the accident, you will want to contact your insurance company and let them know what happened. It is a good idea to be prepared with details about the accident before contacting the insurance company.

If you have received medical care and incurred medical costs, you will want to keep an organized record of the treatments and costs for presenting to an insurance company or at court. If you are contacted by a representative of the other party’s insurance company, you are not obliged to speak, nor should you, about the details of the accident.

Rather than engaging with insurance companies by yourself, you should contact a personal injury attorney. An attorney will assess the details of the accident and your injuries and negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf in order to obtain a more favorable settlement.

Sears & Swanson - Auto accident lawyers in Colorado Springs

First Bank Building
2 North Cascade Avenue
Suite 1250
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903

Automobil e accidents in Colorado Springs

InjuriesJustice.Com

Posted at 11:18 AM

Topic: Personal Injury