What should I do if I have been involved in a car accident?

If you have been involved in a car accident it is important to follow these guidelines to limit further harm to you or your potential case.

1. The first thing that you should do is check for injuries to you or your passengers. Your body may be in shock and there can often be severe injuries that you have sustained that you might not feel due to high adrenaline levels.
2. Check your surroundings and see if you can safely exit the vehicle. If there are passengers, make sure that you are safe before helping them.
3. Call the police, and if necessary, seek out medical attention. The police will create an incident report of the facts involved in the accident that will help build your case. Don’t leave the scene without getting an accident report. If you are seriously injured then the investigating officer may come to the hospital to get your version of the events.
4. If medical attention is offered from a first responder or EMS, do not refuse it. There may be injuries that you are unaware of that need attention. If you refuse help, it will be stated in the incident report, which will hurt your case.
5. While at the scene of the car accident, you should survey the crash and capture as much as you can with a camera. In some cases, the incident report will lack clarity, and photos can really help build evidence. Make sure the photos of the scene show all damage to both vehicles.
6. Notify your insurance company of the accident as soon as possible. Most insurance policies require timely reporting and full cooperation. Find out if you have medical payment benefits as part of your insurance coverage. If you do have “Medpay” or personal injury protection (“PIP”) coverage, you can submit your accident-related medical bills to your insurance company, but we recommend processing your health insurance first to obtain the contractual discount before submitting any Medpay claims. Do not let them pay the provider directly as often we can negotiate the final amount with the healthcare provider.
7. Keep a file of all important documents and medical providers and records.
8. Call your local Greenville, South Carolina Car Accident Attorney. It is important that you seek out legal help as soon as possible so that the attorney can begin building evidence for your case. Every bit of time helps in the discovery phase of the case. Delaying can mean the difference in thousands of dollars.

The Car Accident Attorneys at Hammack Law Firm are here to help you. We have helped clients in big auto accident and tractor-trailer cases that have led to million-dollar settlements! Our attorneys Paul Hammack and Jamie Ackermann have a combined 40 years of experience working for the defense side, and they know the tactics that the defense will use. When it comes to protecting you and your loved ones, the personal injury attorneys at Hammack Law Firm have your back! Call us today at (864) 326-3333(864) 326-3333 and put our experience to work to fight for your case.

Our Client Bill of Rights offers a 30-day unconditional satisfaction guarantee —no costs and no fees. We serve our Greenville clients in all areas of personal injury, including auto and motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, and boating accidents.

To get started with our Greenville personal injury law firm, please simply contact us online or call (864) 326-3333(864) 326-3333 for a free consultation.