What Should I Do if I Am Involved in a Crash?

Maryland car accidents happen on all major roads and highways every single day. Auto accidents, car crashes, motorcycle crashes, and truck accidents all can happen with other factors including human error, carelessness, reckless driving, reckless behavior, negligent driving and negligent behavior. If you or a loved one is an automobile, motorcycle, truck, bus or other vehicle accident, it is important that you preserve all evidence at the scene at the time of this crash. Knowing what may or may not be a crucial piece of evidence for any case, at the time of the accident and crash may not be clear to the person just involved in the accident. Memories fade and stories change as time passes, hence the need to gather and collect as much information as possible.

It is important after an accident to put your car or truck in park and turn off your engine.

You should also call 911 to have officers and ambulance personnel dispatched to the scene. You do not know much about the person or group of people just involved in the accident with you. Exercise caution as there are many dangers for pedestrians on roadways. Vehicles are traveling at speeds fast enough to harm or kill a human being not protected by a car or truck. Debris can fall off vehicle or get propelled by a moving vehicle in such speeds that metal siding of a car can pierced by that debris. What would metal debris do to the human body moving at the same speeds?

You should obtain as much information from the other driver after the accident as you are able. If police personnel are on the scene, let them deal with the exchange of information between the parties. Make certain to get a copy of any police report or exchange of information forms the Law Enforcement Officer provides or completes.

Make sure to get copies of the driver’s license of the at fault party, names, phone numbers and addresses of all other witnesses, all proof of insurance cards, license plate numbers, and as many details as you are able to obtain. Ask the officer for these documents if these documents are not provided. You may or may not be provided with copies of these documents. As long as your information is accurate, you should be ok with just the information.

Almost everyone has a smartphone with a camera today. Take as many photos as you are able of the vehicles, damage to vehicles, scene of the accident, any identification cards and insurance cards.

The other person’s insurance company will call you for a statement. They are looking for information. Anything you say is being recorded. You should not give a statement to the other person’s insurance company. An Attorney at Law can be helpful navigating your case through its different stages and the court system when a lawsuit becomes necessary after the crash. The adverse insurance carrier does not have your best interests in mind.

You must cooperate with your insurance company. You should have legal counsel along the way to advise you on many legal issues and the statute of limitations as it applies to your case for each claim that you have. Different claims have different statute of limitations.

Create a file folder for the accident. All evidence you have gathered is crucial to your case. Keep it all in one place to give to your car and truck accident lawyer.