The First 5 Things You Should Do Immediately After a Car Accident

Being involved in a car accident can be a shocking and terrifying experience, as well as one that leads to long-term harm and damages. While the initial surprise and terror of a crash can leave a person unsure of what to do, taking action immediately after a car accident is important to preserving one’s right to compensation. While there are numerous things that you will need to do in the aftermath of a crash, here are the first five things you should do as soon as possible after an accident occurs. To learn more, please reach out to Mississippi Car Accident Attorney directly.

1. Call the Police 

If you are involved in a crash in Mississippi, then reporting that crash is necessary; in fact, it’s required under the law. According to the Mississippi Bar Association, when someone is injured in an accident or when property damage during an accident exceeds $250, a written accident report must be filed with the police within 10 days. If one fails to file a report, they could face a misdemeanor charge and a driver’s license suspension.

To ensure you are in compliance with the law, reporting the accident is a must. You should not wait 10 days to do so, though; instead, you’ll want to report the accident immediately–preferably while you are still at the accident scene. It’s important that the officers arrive at the accident scene while evidence is still fresh, as this can provide clues about how the crash happened and who should be held liable. What’s more, eyewitnesses who can provide a statement to the police may still be at the scene. 

2. Gather Evidence at the Scene 

While you wait for the police to arrive, you should gather evidence (if your injuries do not prevent you from doing so). It’s important to gather evidence within a short time of when the crash occurs to ensure that evidence is not destroyed. Types of evidence that are important in a car accident claim include:

• Photographs of the scene, including photographs of the positions of the vehicles, damage to the vehicles, internal damage to the vehicles, damage to surrounding areas/objects, etc.;
• Photographs of any immediate injuries;
• The other driver’s name, contact information, insurance information, and vehicle information;
• The names and contact information for any eyewitnesses;
• A quick sketch/diagram of the accident scene that includes the position of each vehicle;
• Notes about what you believe happened;
• Date, time, and weather conditions;
• Evidence of traffic lights or signs; and
• Any other evidence that may be relevant, such as making a note that the crash occurred by a store that may have caught the accident on its security cameras.

3. Head to the Hospital

 Depending on the severity of your injuries, heading to the hospital may take precedence over reporting the accident to the police and gathering evidence. Even if your injuries are not so severe as to demand immediate medical care, though, you still need to go to the hospital and get checked out by a doctor. Doing so is important for a couple of different reasons, and shouldn’t be overlooked.

One of the most important reasons to go to the hospital after a crash, even if you don’t think that you’re severely injured, is just to ensure that you do not, in fact, have any serious injuries. Some types of injuries aren’t immediately apparent after a crash, especially when accounting for things like nerves and adrenaline, which may initially dilute one’s perception of pain and harm. By getting an examination from a doctor after a crash, you rule out the possibility–or correctly diagnose–things like traumatic brain injuries.

Another reason to get treatment after a crash is to make sure that if you are injured, you create a connection between your crash and your injuries that an insurance adjuster assigned to your claim will have a hard time disputing. If you are in a crash and then don’t seek care immediately afterward, the insurance adjuster may try to argue that while you may be injured, there’s no proof that the injuries are related to the car accident–after all, you waited so long to seek care! By seeking care immediately, you safeguard yourself against these arguments. 

4. Call Your Insurance Company 

The fourth thing to do after being involved in a crash is to report the accident to your car insurance company as soon as possible. You should call your insurance company within 24-48 hours of the crash occurring, and no later. If you wait too long to report your accident, you could be barred from recovery depending on your insurance policy. 

5. Call a Skilled Mississippi Car Accident Attorney 

Finally, don’t attempt to navigate a car accident claim by yourself, especially when a car accident attorney can work on your claim on a contingency fee basis. To learn more about working with an experienced Mississippi car accident attorney, send us a message telling us more about your case.