What to do if you’ve been in a car wreck

Automobile accidents happen daily across the United States, and you’ll likely be involved in one at some point in your life. An accident can be unnerving, but you can prepare better if you know what to do. Our De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers team, serving the Reno and Las Vegas areas, invites you to learn more about steps to take after an automobile accident.

Call 911

After a car wreck, you should call 911 to request medical and police assistance. The police will arrive to take statements from drivers and witnesses, investigate the scene to write an accident report, and record relevant details. You can obtain a copy of the police report from the responding department, usually within 24 hours of the accident.

Medical professionals will examine all involved parties because not all injuries are visible after a car accident. The body often shocks following an accident, which can mask injuries or pain. It’s beneficial to have injuries recorded for future insurance claims.

Keep Everyone Safe

You can’t block traffic in Nevada, so if you can drive your vehicle, you must move it out of the way to a safe location to keep traffic flowing while you await medical and police assistance. It can also help prevent secondary accidents from occurring due to obstructions in the road.

Share Information

You should exchange pertinent information with the other vehicle’s driver, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and auto insurance companies. It would be best to record the year, make, and model of the vehicles, license plate numbers, and other relevant information. Nevada law requires that you share your insurance information even if you’re not the at-fault driver. If you don’t have insurance, you must give the other driver enough information to find you.

Don’t Admit Fault

Don’t admit fault or apologize even if you think you caused the accident. Either of these can be an admission of guilt and affect future insurance claims. The police and insurance company will complete a thorough investigation to determine the at-fault party. You may have struck the other driver’s vehicle, but they may not have been able to stop properly because of faulty brakes on their vehicle. Let the experts do their job through accident reconstruction and vehicle inspections to determine proper fault percentages.

Locate Witnesses

Look around after the accident to determine if anyone else witnessed it and have them give their statement to the attending officer. If they can’t stay, ask for their contact information so that you can reach out to them at a more convenient time. Try to contact witnesses as soon as possible to ensure the information about the accident remains fresh in their minds.

Collect Evidence

Use your smartphone or camera to take pictures of damaged vehicles, personal property damage, and visible injuries. Take photos of the accident scene, especially if other factors, such as a partially obstructed stop sign, contributed to the accident. You can also take pictures of the license plates of any vehicles involved in the accident to add to your photographic evidence. Photograph as much of the accident scene as possible because you never know what could be relevant in a personal injury case.

Inform Your Insurance Carrier

Regardless of who was at fault, promptly inform your insurance carrier that you’ve been in an automobile accident. Telling your insurance company will get the ball rolling on the insurance claim, allowing you to get back in your vehicle sooner. Take note of any pain you’re experiencing, including severity and location, and share the details of any injuries sustained in the car wreck. Most auto insurance companies require you to report an accident within 24 hours, whether you’re the at-fault driver or not.

Don’t Share Details on Social Media

Your social media posts can be found, even with the most extensive privacy settings, so don’t share details about your auto accident or injuries on social media. Insurance companies have adjusters and investigators scanning social media to help keep payouts on claims down by exposing false or exaggerated claims. Sharing the details of your injuries or the accident with friends and family should be done in person or over the phone to help protect against any future insurance claims.

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer

Auto insurance companies have a litany of lawyers and legal staff working to help keep claims to a minimum, so it’s beneficial to have someone on your side. An experienced personal injury attorney will help you from start to finish, ensuring you get the settlement you deserve. Your lawyer can seek economic and non-economic damages after your automobile accident.

Economic damages include current and future medical expenses, rehabilitation services, chiropractic care, physical therapy, transportation to medical facilities, and lost wages. Non-economic damages are compensation for non-monetary losses, such as pain and suffering. These can include mental anguish, depression, disfiguration, emotional distress, and the loss of joy in activities you once loved. In addition to economic and non-economic damages, if the at-fault driver was grossly negligent or acting with malicious intent, you can also receive punitive damages to further punish the at-fault driver for their actions.

Anytime a car wreck results in extensive property damage or injury, you should consider contacting a personal injury lawyer. The De Castroverde team can provide you with a free evaluation of your case so that you can present all the evidence. We can help you determine whether you should pursue your claim.

Contact De Castroverde Today

After a car wreck, reach out to the experts at De Castroverde Accident & Injury Lawyers. Our skilled professionals will work with you to file your insurance claim, negotiate with the insurance company, and collect a desirable settlement. Complete our secure online form or call us at 702-803-3391 to request a free case evaluation. De Castroverde has served the Las Vegas community for over a decade, fighting for your rights while recovering damages. Our team provides clear communication, the best possible service, a welcoming and stress-free environment, a qualified attorney and legal team, and Spanish-speaking staff for your convenience.

Photo Credit: Accident by Tony Alter is licensed with CC BY 2.0