Imagine it is a Friday night, you are out of work for the day, just picked up your children from daycare, excited to finally relax when you are hit by another vehicle. This can be extremely stressful for most people - let alone a parent with children in the car.

Unfortunately, this exact situation could happen to you as over 6 million automobile accidents happen every year. As such it is important to know what you should do following an accident as well as things that you should not do.

What To Do Immediately Following An Accident:

• Call the Police 🚓

You should first make sure that yourself and everyone else in the vehicle does not need emergency medical attention. Your next step should be to call the police to arrive to the scene. This is important because a police officer will take statements from all parties involved and then use that to draft a formal report. In this report the officer will list important information such as the parties contact information, insurance information, injuries and a statement of what happened as well as who was determined to be at-fault for the accident. Dispatch can also send an ambulance if anyone has suffered severe injuries requiring emergency medical attention.

• Take Photos of All Vehicles Involved 📸

You should take as many photos as possible of the accident scene, this includes photos of the damage to all vehicles involved.

• Obtain Witness Information 📝

If you notice any witnesses that remain at the scene of the accident you should try to obtain their name and contact information in case there is a liability dispute down the road. Most of the time there will be witnesses to the accident but they do not have time to wait for the police arrive to make a statement so they leave. If you obtain their contact information and provide it to the investigating officer then the officer can add that information to the police report.

• Seek Medical Attention 🚑

Even if you think you have not sustained major injuries I still suggesting seeking medical treatment after an accident. Most of the time my clients are in shock from the accident due to adrenaline, as such they do not feel the pain from his/her injuries for several days. The medical provider will make sure to document any and all injuries sustained in your medical records, this will be helpful later when we need proof that you were in-fact injured in the auto accident.

• Call an Attorney 👩🏼‍⚖️

Auto accidents can cause a lot of stress. You likely will need to have your vehicle repaired or another vehicle all-together. You most likely will be injured requiring medical treatment. There are several benefits to hiring an attorney. An attorney can take on the fight with the auto insurance company, work with your health insurance company, as well as build evidence/a file for your case. If you run into any issues having an experienced personal injury attorney can alleviate any additional stress as well as help to smoothly navigate you through the claim process.

What NOT To Do Immediately Following An Accident:

• Not Calling the Police But Exchanging Auto Insurance Information Instead 🚫

While most people would rather forego calling the police, and rather exchange insurance information this could potentially hurt your case. If the person that was the sole cause of the accident tells his/her insurance company that you were the cause of the accident now we have conflicting statements about what occurred. Without any witnesses to corroborate your statement of the accident this would essentially become a he said/she said situation. In Tennessee if you are determined to be 50% or more at fault for the accident, you cannot recover for any damages sustained.

• Not Seeking Medical Treatment for More Than Two Weeks 🚫

It is important to make sure that you do not have gaps in your treatment. If you wait two weeks or more to obtain medical treatment for your injuries the insurance company may not relate the injuries to the car wreck. The longer you wait to seek medical treatment for your injuries the harder it is to prove your injury is related to the motor vehicle accident.

• Calling the Insurance Company and Providing a Recorded Statement 🚫

Most people call the auto insurance company the same day as the accident to report the accident. At that time the auto insurance company will ask for a recorded statement regarding what happened. They will ask for more information than is relevant to your case. Also, if you tell the insurance company that you were not injured in the accident and then a few days later when the adrenaline wears off you realized you were hurt, the adjuster assigned to you case can and will use the recorded statement where you stated you were not injured against you.

Request a FREE Consultation

Hiring an attorney can ensure you receive the full and fair compensation you deserve. At Cotter Law it is our priority to take on the fight with the insurance company while you focus on recovering from your auto accident. Fill out the form below or call Cotter Law today to schedule your FREE consultation at (865) 888-7155 to speak with an experienced attorney.