- Be prepared ahead of time: Denver motorists should carry a cell phone and also have a well stocked first aid kit, traffic flares and traffic cones in their vehicle. Have your license, registration and proof of insurance with you whenever you drive, even if you are an underinsured driver or are uninsured. Car accidents can happen anywhere, anytime, and you need to be prepared. The Werner Law Firm offers a drawing for a free auto accident kit to help you stay prepared.
- Do not panic. Turn off your engine and turn on your hazard lights. Remain calm and try to assess your situation. Breathe deeply and try to collect your thoughts. The last thing you need at this point is to have a confrontation with the other driver, so do not get out of your vehicle and start yelling at them. In the same vein, do not immediately claim responsibility for causing the accident.
- Check to see if anyone is injured. Check-in with all other passengers and call 911 if there are any injuries (even if you think they aren’t too bad). If it is safe to do so, you can carefully approach the other vehicle and ask if anyone is injured. If you call 911, make sure to describe your location, vehicles or pedestrians involved and any injuries anyone has suffered. If the vehicles are obstructing traffic, or are in a dangerous position, try to move them to a safer area off the road. If safety allows, place road flares around the accident so that other drivers on the road can see you and avoid a further accident.
- Seek medical attention immediately. Even if you do not think you are injured, get yourself checked out by a medical professional. The adrenaline rush from having just been in an accident can often mask injuries that will show up later.
- If available, take some photographs of the accident site. Most people carry cell phones equipped with cameras, so taking pictures should not be difficult. Photos are good not only as evidence in litigation, but also as a good memory ‘jog” for accident victims when they try to recall what happened.
- Exchange insurance information with the other driver. Unfortunately, there are many underinsured drivers on the roads these days, in addition to drivers who are totally uninsured. Car accidents that involve drivers such as these can make recovering damages for your injuries a daunting task. So get as much information from the other driver as possible. At the least, note the make and model of the car and the license plate number.
- As soon as possible after the accident, contact a Denver personal injury attorney who is familiar with handling peronal injury claims, uninsured car accident claims or claims involving underinsured drivers.
- Avoid speaking with any insurance adjustor unless your attorney is present. Too often, just after an accident, a driver will say “It was my fault” or “I feel fine.” People often respond to small talk questions without really thinking about their answers. Insurance company representatives make a note of such statements, and at least try to use them against you when you make a formal claim for injuries sustained in the accident.
- Do not forget to file an accident report or counter report.
- Do everything you can to help bring about a speedy resolution of your case when working with an attorney. Maintain good communications with your attorney. Provide your lawyer all the details of the accident, including things that you think might be unimportant. Make sure to forward any and all documentation regarding your accident to your Denver personal injury attorney.
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