What To Do at a Car Wreck Scene
If you are in a car wreck with damages or injuries, there are a few very important steps for you to take:
Stay Calm
While this is easier said than done, it is really important that you take a deep breath and try to gather yourself the best you can. Car accidents are a serious and sometimes life-changing event. That makes it critical that you have a clear head to assess what happened.
Call 911
If there has been serious injuries in the car wreck that you have been involved in, you need to call for help as soon as possible. This will get police, ambulances, and even the fire department on their way to you. Often, the operator will ask you to perform the next step while on the phone with them. If you see a fire or you can smell fuel, report this immediately.
Check yourself and other involved for injuries
First, stay on the phone with the 911 operator until help arrives. Next, make sure that you, as well as any passengers, are not injured. After that, if you can get out of your vehicle, check the driver, in addition to any passengers of any other car involved for injuries. If any pedestrians are involved, check with them for injuries as well. If you are a pedestrian and are able to call for help, you can report your own injuries. This will help the 911 operator to know what type of help and how much help is needed.
Take photos of the scene
Next, and only if you are uninjured and can walk around, use your cell phone to take pictures of the car accident scene. If you cannot, try and see if anyone else can. Be sure to take photos of any personal injury, property damage, skid marks, or any thing else that could show who was at fault. Also, it is a good idea to get a photo of the make, model, and tag number of any other vehicle that was involved in the accident.
Get information of any other driver
If your vehicle accident involves another automobile, be sure to get contact information from the other driver if possible. You might even choose to get a photograph of their license and insurance cards if they agree to this. If possible, you should also get contact information from anyone who may have witnessed the accident and is willing to tell what they saw happen.
Don’t leave the scene
Never leave the scene of an automobile or pedestrian accident until a police officer has released you to do so. Additionally, it is important to be thoroughly checked by paramedics before leaving the scene.
Car Wreck Victims – Protect Your Rights – Contact Us Today
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an accident, don’t wait. Please contact the team of Birmingham, Alabama personal injury attorneys at The McCormick Firm for a free, no-obligation, confidential case review and consultation. Don’t let the insurance companies take advantage of you. Put our team of Alabama car accident lawyers to work for you.
