Tenaglia & Hunt Blog

When you are involved in a traffic accident, it can be overwhelming. In fact, many people report being in a state of shock and not remembering what they did or said in the first several minutes after the incident. It is important to stay calm and try to think before you do or say anything.

Although no two accidents are identical, below are several suggestions for what you should do immediately after being in a wreck:

• If somebody is hurt, call for medical help
• Call the police and remain at the scene of the accident until they arrive. It is important that you file a police report, which is helpful evidence in a lawsuit or in making an insurance claim. The police report is a good way to document the facts surrounding the wreck in a timely manner.
• As soon as possible, obtain the insurance information from the other driver. If you have a cell phone with a camera, you may want to simply snap several pictures of their insurance verification card. If not, write down their name, contact information and all of their insurance information.
• If there are any witnesses to the accident, write down the name and contact information for each witness.
• As soon as you are able, write down everything you remember about the accident while the facts are still fresh in your mind.
• Take pictures of your injuries and the damage to your vehicle. It can also be helpful to take pictures of the damage to the other vehicle as well.
• Do not dispose of helpful evidence. For example, if you were riding your bicycle when you were hit, keep your damaged bicycle, helmet and the clothing you were wearing.

A few things you should avoid doing include admitting any liability (which may include apologizing), discussing how fast you were driving or any other factors contributing to the collision that may be used against you later. Also, do not delay in seeking medical care if your injuries worsen or if symptoms are delayed.

Finally, call Slater, Tengalia, Fritz & Hunt to schedule your no-cost initial consultation with seasoned personal injury attorney to learn how we can help maximize your financial recovery.

If you have been hurt by another party’s negligence, you need help. Contact Slater, Tenaglia, Fritz & Hunt to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can help you recover the damages suffered by your personal injury.  We proudly serve individuals throughout New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  We can be contacted by phone at (201) 820-6001 in New Jersey or (212) 692-0200 in New York. We can also be found on the Internet, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and Youtube. And remember, we handle all of our personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you do not pay our fees unless we recover for you. Like us on Facebook.