A car accident is always going to be a traumatic experience, guaranteed. Even if it is a minor fender-bender, you can’t blame yourself for feeling shaken to your core.
The truth is, while car accidents happen every day on the roadways, they don’t happen to you personally every day. So when you are involved in an auto collision, you may initially have the “ostrich response” – just wanting to stick your head in the sand and forget it ever happened.
Only there is the damage to your vehicle to contend with. And often you don’t feel your best either – whiplash and back injuries are very common even in minor auto accidents.
So what now? What do you do to get the claims process rolling? How can you find the
best personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles to get you and your car the attention you need and deserve? Read on to find out!
Always Contact the Right Authorities Immediately
The first step you should take right after being involved in a car accident is to call the police. You should also call 911 if you or anyone else you can see has been hurt as a result of the car accident.
It may take the officers and response personnel some time to get to you if the traffic is congested, which is another reason to take this step first before you do anything else.
When the police arrive, you will work with them and the other driver to create an accident report. This is a very important official document that can be used in court by your car accident attorney in Los Angeles to support your claim.
First Rule of Car Accidents: Always Document Everything
It is quite simply essential to document everything that occurred right after the car accident.
In some cases, if you need immediate medical attention, you may not be able to do this. If this occurs, just document it as soon as you possibly can, taking the help of a family member or friend to do so if you need to.
In situations where you are able to move about and it is safe to do so, once you get out of your vehicle, it is time to start recording what you see and recall.
Here is a list of important elements to document to help your car accident personal injury attorney build the best case to settle the auto claim in your favor.
1. The condition of both vehicles.
The first and easiest thing to document is the condition of your own vehicle. You know what is new damage from the accident. Take pictures both up close and from farther away to document this.
Then do the same with the other car (here, you may want to wait until you approach the other driver to exchange insurance information).
2. The roadway conditions.
The next important thing to document is the condition of the road you were on. Is it smooth and new? Are there lots of potholes and debris? Are the lane markings clear? Is there a shoulder and is that clear?
What is the traffic like – is it heavy or light? What types of vehicles predominate – small passenger cars, giant 10-wheeler cargo trucks, motorcycles?
3. The environmental conditions.
Environmental conditions encompass everything from the weather conditions to lighting and visibility.
If the weather is bad or stormy or if the roadway is icy, this is important for your Los Angeles accident attorney to know. If the light is low because it is dusk or night or storm clouds are blocking the sunlight, write this down too.
If visibility is poor, this is important as it may have affected your ability to navigate safely. Document everything you see and remember. If you don’t have something to write with, you can videotape the area and narrate your recollections and transcribe them later.
4. The events as they happened.
Now it is time to document everything you can remember about the events leading up to the accident. You can do this by videotaping the scene if you don’t have writing materials. Sometimes it is easier just to describe it in words and then you can transcribe it later.
If you do have something to write with, sketch out the area, making markings for where road signs, lights, potholes and you and the other driver were.
Contact Your Insurer and Exchange Information With the Other Driver
It is equally important to do two additional things after being a part of an auto collision: call your insurer to open a new claim and exchange insurance information with the other driver.
When you approach the other driver, always do so cautiously. You never know how someone might react after the shock of a car accident. The other driver may be angry, scared, standoffish, crying or some other reaction.
Stay very calm and keep talk to a minimum. Offer your insurance information and ask for theirs. Once the exchange is made, return to your vehicle and wait for the police to arrive.
The best auto injury attorney will always advise you never to agree to talk with the other driver’s insurance claims agent – although you will likely be asked to do this. You are not legally obligated and it could hurt you later during the processing of your claim.
After you have the other driver’s contact and insurance information in hand, go ahead and call your own insurer and open up a new claim. You will want to do this right away in case you need a rental car or medical attention. The two insurance agents will sort out who pays for what – you just need to get the attention and service you need right away.
Reach Out to Your Car Accident Personal Injury Attorney
As soon as you have gone through these steps to document what happened, get the police started writing up the accident report, report the incident to your insurer and tend to any immediate medical or transportation needs you may have, it is time to connect with your Los Angeles accident attorney to start the process of settling your car accident claim.
Why do this right away? Because California is a fault state, settling an auto accident claim can quickly become complicated. No insurance company ever wants to accept that their client is at fault. So the other driver’s insurance company may try to stall on processing your claim.
Your car accident attorney can cut through the red tape and get your claim processed so you can get back to your daily life.
Contact an Experienced Los Angeles Accident Attorney
After you have been involved in a car accident, you may not know what to do next to expedite the claims process and return to your regularly scheduled routine.
California can make the settlement process especially difficult since we are a “fault” state for auto insurance claims. Often, the best and easiest way to quickly resolve your claim and get your settlement is to work with an experienced accident attorney.
Contact West Coast Trial Lawyers for additional information.