Being involved in a car accident can be a shocking and traumatic experience. Car accident injuries are often serious and sometimes life-threatening and the mental and psychological impact of an accident can last a lifetime.
Because a car accident is so unexpected, it is common to be in shock immediately after the accident. You are not expected to act perfectly. However, knowing some basic steps to take after a car accident can increase your chance of recovering fair compensation for your losses if you decide to pursue a personal injury action.
Check for injuries and seek medical attention
When help arrives, have yourself checked out even if you do not believe you are injured. You may still be in shock and some injuries take time to appear.
Do not move if you believe you are injured and do not move anyone else who appears to be injured. Wait for emergency medical technicians to arrive.
However, you should move vehicles to a safe place if possible, such as the side of the road. Do not move them if you are injured or the vehicles appear damaged.
Always contact the police
When the police arrive tell them what happened but be careful what you say. Do not apologize or admit fault for the accident.
Your statements will go into their report and could be used against you later. Provide them with your name and contact information and tell them how the accident happened. Other than that, stay silent and request a copy of the police report.
Talk with witnesses at the scene
This includes the other drivers involved in the accident and anyone who witnessed the accident occur. Obtain their contact information if you need to follow-up with them in the future. Their testimony could be valuable.
If you are physically able, take photos and videos of the accident scene. Talk with home or business owners around the scene to see if the accident was captured on surveillance video.
You may not remember the initial moments after a car accident. Taking these steps can document information that you might not otherwise remember.
Do not post about the accident on social media
It is natural to share major events on social media but your statements or photos on social media could be misinterpreted and used as evidence against you.
For example, you might claim that your injuries were so bad that you could not leave your home for days, but a picture of yourself out to dinner within a week after the accident could be used to discredit your claim.
Obtaining recovery after a car accident
Personal injury actions in Ohio are based on negligence. To prove negligence in a car accident case, you must show that the other driver breached their duty to drive safely and reasonably and that breach caused your damages.
Additionally, Ohio courts assign a percentage of negligence to each party. If your own percentage of negligence is found to be more than 50% you are barred from recovering compensation.
This is why taking the right steps after a car accident is so important. What you say and the evidence you gather can help you prove the other driver’s negligence and defend against any claims that your own negligence caused the accident.