What to do immediately after a car accident?

Posted: May 16, 2021

If you ever get involved in a car accident in Orlando or anywhere in Florida, we strongly suggest you take the following steps:

• Call the police and obtain a police report - One of the most important steps you need to take after being involved in a car accident, is to call the police and get a report, even if it was a minor accident. Many people do not want to be pulled over on the side of the road waiting maybe for few hours while those driving by watch them but getting the police report is very important. It is frequently very difficult to prove negligence or liability when there is no police report. Many battles with the insurance company could be avoided with a police report, which is done by officer considered to be a neutral third party. If there is a passenger in your vehicle that person can serve as a witness to support your version of the events and to report them to the officer, which may help the officer make a decision. It frequently happens that a driver decides not to wait for the police officer because the other driver completely accepts to be at fault and provides his information, only to discover later that the person changed their story and that there is no proof of their fault without the police report.
  
• Seek medical attention - Make sure you seek treatment within 14 days of the accident, which is the Florida PIP statute. Otherwise, PIP will not pay for your injuries and you will be fully responsible for your medical bills.
  
• Follow the advice of the doctor - In case you seek medical treatment but did not follow or complete the prescribed treatment, Insurance companies may argue that your injuries are not as bad as you claim, resulting in lesser settlement. There may also be situation where it is difficult for the patient to complete all the medical tests or the policy limits for the medical treatment are low, but we always advice our clients to make sure they are getting the prescribed treatment.
  
• Take pictures – With cell phones widely available, it is very easy to take pictures of your vehicle, the scene of the accident and, if possible, of your injuries. These pictures may be useful to prove the severity of the impact to the insurance companies. Pay attention to your body and document any change during the following days, since some injuries will not feel immediately and, instead, may take a couple of days to show up. This includes bruising and pain.
• Collect information - Obtain all information you can, including:
  • Name, phone number and email address, etc. from the other parties involved
  • Insurance information and driver's license number from the other driver(s)
  • License plate number, vehicle's registration number, vehicle's make, model, year, and color from all cars involved in the accident
  • Names and statements from witnesses
• Call Mubarak Law - Our personal injury attorneys are extremely experienced and can help you navigate the difficult process of a car accident to recover fair compensation.