Should you ever be involved in an auto accident, there are a few steps you should take immediately, health permitting. If no one is seriously injured, then the first thing you should be doing is taking notes. This way everything stays fresh in your head, and you can refer back to it later should the need arise. This is especially helpful should the accident wind up in court for any type of compensation to anyone. Here are the important things you should make sure to write down.
Include Everyone That Was Involved In the Accident
You want to write down as many names, addresses, and phone numbers of people involved in the accident as you possibly can. You also want to make sure to write down the same information for anyone that witnessed the accident, no matter if they say it was your fault or the other party’s. This will help you should you ever need them to explain what they saw if your case ever winds up in front of a judge.
Include the Circumstances Surrounding the Auto Accident
You will want to write down what was going on when the accident occurred. This should include who was in the car, what the weather was like around you, the exact time it occurred, the roads you were traveling, the location you were heading to, the state of the other cars around you (faster, slower, or stopped at a light, for example), and where your attention was focused when the auto accident happened. You do not want to falter on this later, so the sooner you can write down these details, the better.
Explain the Auto Accident in As Much Detail as Possible
When you can clearly think about the accident, you want to write down everything that happened during the accident. You will want to include what you did (like swerve or brake), what the other vehicle(s) did, and where the vehicles ended up when all was said and done. Make sure to include everything that hurt, had a twinge of pain or bled from the accident. If you can, try and rate the pain from zero—no pain, to ten—extreme pain. If your pain is bad, make sure the first place you go beyond talking with the police on the scene is direct to your doctor or local emergency room. Keep all documentation of injuries, in case you end up needing to take this documentation with you to court down the line.