While the most stressful parts of any car wreck usually come long after it’s over, the initial few minutes after the wreck are vital. There are myriad ways this situation can unfold. You may find yourself blocking a busy interstate or in someone’s yard, with your front end wrapped around a tree or with the front of the car that hit you in your backseat. You have to exercise some sensibility here. You’ll also want to make sure that you don’t make things even more complex for your vehicle accident attorney.
Remember not to try to explain to the other driver what happened. The last thing you want to do is say something that isn’t exactly true, such as “I didn’t see you”, “My brakes didn’t seem to work” or something similar. In these cases, you’re basically saying the accident was your fault in one way or another and this may come back to bite you, especially if it turns out that every other piece of evidence points to the accident not being your fault in any regard. Your car wreck attorney will go over all of this with you after the accident.
Make sure you call the authorities right away. If there are injuries that resulted from the car wreck, they’re not always immediately apparent. This has nothing to do with legal or financial concerns; it may be the case that someone is seriously injured and that is enough reason to act. If someone is trapped in their car or obviously injured, do not move them any more than necessary. Back and spinal injuries are common in car wrecks and you have to make sure that you don’t make them worse, however well-intentioned your actions may be.
Your vehicle accident attorney will need all of the details of the accident. Even though you’ll most certainly be frazzled, take the time to look around you and to cement the memory of what happened in your head. You’ll want to take note of where the vehicles wound up and where they initially collided. While the police will take care of the particulars of this, be sure to see if the person who hit you seems drunk or otherwise under the influence, as well. After you’re sure that everyone’s alright, you want to make sure that your interests are protected and that you’re not liable for huge damages.
