Important steps to take after a car accident

The aftermath of suddenly being involved in a car accident can be a chaotic and stressful experience for anyone traveling the roadways here in New York. It can especially be frustrating if you suffered harm through no fault of your own. Sadly, far too many of these unfortunate incidents occur due to a motorist’s negligence or reckless actions.

Trying to focus on recovering from your injuries while dealing with insurance companies, facing unexpected medical bills and being unable to work can be a daunting endeavor. Fortunately, there is professional assistance and support readily available during these challenging times to help guide you through the process of seeking your rightful compensation. There are also certain steps you can follow in the immediate aftermath of a car accident that could prove beneficial both in the short- and long-term, including the following:

1. Try to stay as calm as you can under the circumstances.
2. Assess both yourself and any passengers of yours for injuries.
3. If possible, check on the health of any others involved in the accident.
4. Call 911 if anyone was seriously injured.
5. Call the police if there were no injuries, so there will still be an official report of the incident.
6. Relocate your vehicle to a safe area if possible.
7. Don’t leave the scene of the accident.
8. Without discussing the details of the crash, exchange your name, phone number and insurance information with any other drivers who were involved.
9. Document as much evidence as possible, including photos of any vehicle damage sustained.

Receiving medical attention for your injuries is obviously another important and sometimes urgent step after a car accident. Even if you only suffered minor harm, an evaluation could still prove invaluable to your future best interests since symptoms from certain injuries can take weeks or months to fully develop. Finally, a seasoned New York personal injury attorney can carefully analyze the details of your incident and handle all insurance-related communication on your behalf to increase your odds of receiving the maximum about of monetary damages possible.