You knew it was going to happen before the cars touched.
You saw the other driver looking down, and you knew she wouldn’t look up in time to stop her vehicle from hitting yours. You had nowhere to swerve. If you had, you might have run your vehicle onto the sidewalk or into the other lane, causing other accidents.
Now, you’re left battered and bruised after a significantly serious car accident. She stayed at the scene, and you’ve both called for help. Now, you just need to wait for emergency medical care to arrive.
What can you do in the meantime?
- Check that everyone is okay: The first thing you should do is make sure the other party is okay and that everyone in your vehicle is all right. If anyone needs medical attention, do what you can to provide it. It doesn’t matter, at this point, who caused the accident. Everyone deserves assistance after the fact.
- Get the driver’s information and take pictures: Next, try to get the driver’s information. Write down the color of the vehicle, the license plate number and other identifying information. If the driver is able, ask him or her to present insurance information. Take pictures of the scene of the accident as it can help your case in many instances.
- Talk to the police: When you talk to the police, don’t try to tell them what happened in a way that places blame on yourself, even if you think you might have been partially responsible for the crash. Instead, simply state the facts. For instance, “I saw the driver look down. I couldn’t get out of the way. She crossed the center line.”
- Get medical care: Go with the emergency medical team to the hospital. Even if you don’t feel that you have serious injuries, you need to get a medical checkup to make sure. After a collision, you may not notice the injuries you’ve suffered because of adrenaline, but a doctor can make those observations.
- Talk to your attorney: After you’ve gotten the immediate medical care you need, you can talk to your attorney about filing a claim. You may be able to file an insurance claim.
If the individual doesn’t have insurance, your attorney may need to help you pursue compensation through a personal injury lawsuit in court.