ADVICE FROM CONSUMER ADVOCATE STAN GREYSON

What You Should Do Immediately Following a Car Accident

FIVE THINGS TO DO AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE

While Wrecked is primarily focused on helping accident victims maximize the value of their personal injury claims here are a few tips to keep in mind in the moments after a car accident:

1. DON’T LEAVE. It is very important for you not to leave the scene of the accident. You should make sure you’re in a safe place, but you could be violating the law by leaving if there is extensive property damage or serious injuries.

2. CALL 911. You should immediately call the police and wait for them to arrive.

3. SHUTUP.Youshouldn’tsayanythingtoanyoneotherthanfirstresponders (police, fire, medical). Don’t apologize or sign anything. That being said, if it is safe, you can talk to the other drivers and take photos of their driver's license and insurance cards.

4. DOCUMENT. Take photos and videos of the scene, each vehicle’s exterior (include shots of the VIN and license plate), each vehicle’s interior, and all street signs and signals. Leave your video recorder on during each conversation you have with first responders. You shouldn’t hold the phone in their face, but just hold it in your hand and let it record the audio instead.

5. BONUS. Immediately following an accident it is likely your adrenalin will be pumping and you might even be in shock. No matter how you are feeling, you will want to get to the safety of your home — resist this temptation. The truth is you might have injuries that your body is hiding from you. If you have the option of taking an ambulance to the hospital you should take the ambulance, period. Insist that you are tested extensively including a full-body MRI scan. It is your right to get treatment and in most cases, you won’t get it unless you insist.

As a subscriber to Wrecked on Medium, I want to share a free copy of my book Wrecked: How to WIN Your Personal Injury Claim. Download it here for free: https://autoaccident.expert/