What to Do If You’re in a Car Accident

The moments immediately following a car accident are frightening ones.  What should you do to protect yourself and the people in your vehicle?  How can you protect your legal rights as well?  Many aggressive Missouri car accident attorneys offer tips, such as the following:

• Stay calm.  Taking a few deep breaths can give you space to calm down and think.  The ability to stay calm and in control can be crucial when it comes to making decisions that can help others.
• Make sure you and your passengers are okay.  If someone needs medical help, contact emergency medical services by calling 911 or your local emergency number.
• Move to safety if possible.  If you can, move all vehicles out of the roadway.  Use vehicle hazard lights, flares, or flashlights to warn oncoming traffic that the crash has occurred.  If someone is severely injured, however, do not move them; some severe head and next injuries are made worse if a person is not moved correctly.
• Report the accident to police.  Call 911 or the local police phone number to report the accident and obtain police assistance.
• Trade contact information with others involved in the accident.  Get the name, contact information, and insurance information of anyone else involved in the accident, if you can.  Give a short and plain statement of facts to police, but do not state that you think the accident was your fault – even if you do think so.  You may not yet know all the facts and admitting fault may deprive you of certain legal rights.
• Report the claim to your insurance company.  The sooner your insurance company knows about the accident, the sooner they can work to resolve your claim.  Do not hesitate to seek legal help, however, if you feel your insurer is treating you unfairly or pressuring you to accept a settlement that doesn’t cover your losses or seems unfair.

If you’ve been injured in a crash, do not wait to get in touch with attorney John Page to learn more about your rights and receive the skilled representation you need to find success in your case.