You’re sitting at a red light or stopped at a stop sign when suddenly, another vehicle rams yours from behind. You’re jolted forward upon the impact and know that you’ve suffered damages and possible injuries. It’s important to know what steps to take after a rear-end collision to get compensation for your damages and injuries.
Check Yourself and Passengers for Injuries
Before you even get out of your car, check for injuries. If anyone is seriously hurt, they should stay put until help arrives. If you’re on a major highway or thruway, pull over your vehicle to safety before getting out of it.
Keep in mind that it’s normal not to feel injured or in pain immediately after an accident. Your adrenaline is pumping hard and fast as part of the body’s fight or flight mode, so you may not feel sore until hours later.
Call 911 for the Police and EMTs
Call 911 as soon as possible. You need to get the police to the scene of the accident and have an ambulance with emergency medical technicians arrive as well. The police should always be called when a car accident results in injuries, death, or significant property damage.
A police officer will make an accident report that’s accessible if you need a copy of it for your records. The report is valuable evidence in a personal injury claim. You can get the name and badge number of the officer who makes the accident report and ask them how to obtain a copy.
Exchange Information with the Other Driver
If your vehicle was the one that was rear-ended, the accident was most likely not your fault. At the same time, while you exchange information with the other driver, it’s important to keep the conversation strictly on that information. Don’t apologize or even ask if they’re OK. Even if they’re at fault, if you say too much, it could be twisted to make it seem like you’re claiming responsibility for the accident. So instead, just focus on exchanging full names, addresses, phone numbers, driver’s license numbers, license plate numbers, and auto insurance information.
Take Photos of the Scene
Take as many photos of the accident scene as you can manage. Capture images of the vehicles and damage sustained on both the road and skid marks, the flow of traffic, the weather, and anything else that’s relevant to your rear-end collision. The more pictures you have, the better for your evidence.
Talk with Witnesses
The chances are good that there were witnesses at the scene of your rear-end accident. Speak with anyone you see and find out if they did see the collision as it occurred. Get their full names and contact information. Have them write down their accident account or record them speaking about it.
Seek Medical Attention
Even if you feel fine, it’s important to seek medical attention immediately after a rear-end collision. Whiplash injuries are very common after these types of car accidents, so it might be determined that you have a slipped disc or some other type of neck or back injury. Head injuries are also common after a rear-end accident. X-rays and other tests can reveal whether this is the case. You can get the treatment that you need if it turns out you’re injured.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney
You will want to contact a personal injury attorney to file a claim against the at-fault driver. If you need assistance from an attorney after a rear-view collision, use the free legal chat from 1Law and take it from there. Avoid going it alone and representing yourself. Speaking with an attorney is your best chance of recovering compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and repairs needed to your vehicle.
Contact Your Insurance Company
You should also contact your insurance company as soon as possible. Tell an agent that you have been involved in a rear-end collision but don’t offer any details. You’re under no obligation to do that and should allow your attorney to handle all other contacts with insurers.
With a law degree under his belt, Mark Scott understood very early that law communication was a relatively neglected area. He decided to help people by “translating” the language and offering information and advice in a clear, useful, and actionable manner. For this reason, instead of finding him in court, you will most likely find his name online, where he is very active and thriving as a legal columnist. His part of making the world a better place is to make the law a less convoluted maze. He aims to make it easier for people to understand when and how to seek legal counsel, how to proceed in a significant number of legal matters, and to find the proper resources so they can stand up for their rights.
