What to do if You're Involved in an Accident
Denver, Boulder Car Accident Lawyers
It happens to many of us that we somehow get involved in a car accident or other type of auto accident and find ourselves in need of a lawyer. These accidents could often have been avoided to start with. But once they happen there are consequences. Here are some tips on how to deal with those consequences productively.
The first thing is to remain at the scene! But let's take it for granted here that we're all decent people and that warning isn't needed.
Injuries
So at the scene, the next thing to do is discover whether anyone is injured and needs medical attention, including yourself. If you aren't sure whether a person's injuries are severe or not, it's best to play it safe and call for help. A common example of this if many neck injuries, which don't cause pain until much later. If the person can be examined soon after the accident, chances that they'll recover are much greater. Untreated injuries will often result in severe pain later, perhaps many months later, and sometimes the person will need the services of a personal injury attorney.
If you yourself are not hurt, and if you get the urge to help other people while waiting for an ambulance or the police, be careful about it. In particular, don't try to move any injured person unless you know what you're doing (i.e., have EMT training or other medical emergency training). Movement might increase the severity of their injuries which is obviously not good for them, but also it's not good for you, as it exposes you to subsequent legal action.
Call 911
The 911 dispatcher will ask you if anyone is hurt, and if they are, will send an ambulance. Many will also send a fire truck in case of any gas spills. Keep in mind that if you call 911 from your cell phone, the dispatcher won't be able to see where you are. So remember to give your location.
Who was at fault?
How will it be ascertained who was at fault? This brings up the questions of:
- Whether or not to move your vehicle; and
- Whether to gather relevant information from the other people involved while you wait for police to arrive.
Should you move your vehicle?
Many times this might seem like a sensible or decent thing to do, as it might be obstructing the road. If it's posing a clear threat to others, or is in immediate danger of further damage, it should be moved.
But on the other hand, the police need to get a clear picture of what happened, and for that they need to see exactly where the vehicles are. So you might have to make a decision. State laws are different on this subject. If you decide to move it, try to somehow mark where it was, with stones, or lines in the dirt.
Should you talk to the other people?
If you possibly can, talk with the other people involved. Try to obtain their names and addresses, insurance information and driver's license numbers. Ask them to show you those documents.
Probably they'll ask you for the same information and you should give it. If anyone refuses to give this basic information, write down their license plate(s) and call the police if 911 was not already called. Also make a note of how many passengers are in each vehicle so that dishonest drivers can't later on claim they had more passengers than they did.
If there are any witnesses, ask them for their names and phone numbers and a description of what they saw.
Local Police
The 911 dispatcher will notify the local police. Officers will take photos, make measurements, draw diagrams, and take notes. If litigation becomes necessary later on, this documentation will be very important and perhaps crucial.
A police officer will ask to see your insurance card, driver's license, and vehicle registration, so have them available. You'll be asked what happened, and the officer might ask that of each driver in the presence of the other(s). (It will enable him to see the reaction of each driver to the narratives given by the other(s).)
After you've answered all his questions, you can ask the officer for his name and badge number, the address of his police station, and its phone number. You can also ask for the accident report number, case number, when the report will be filed, and how to obtain a copy. Insurance companies will look at the police report before they decide whether to make any payouts.
If there are any witnesses, he police will also talk to them and take their statements.
Be prepare for accidents
It would be a good idea to keep certain things in your vehicle in case of an accident.
- Flashlight (preferably one that doesn't need batteries)
- First-aid kit
- Blanket
- Pen and paper
- Jumper cables
- Flares
- A vehicle window glass breaker (special pointed hammers)
- A seat belt cutter
If you or anyone you know is in a road accident anywhere in Colorado, and need to talk to an auto accident attorney, we at Hull & Zimmerman are ready to assist you.
The Denver and Boulder area car accident lawyers at Hull & Zimmerman offer
free consultations to answer all your questions and help you understand your car accident from a legal perspective. We'll look at the facts, assess your situation, and explain all legal terminology. We'll assign whatever resources are needed to bring your car accident case to a successful conclusion. At all stages of the process, we'll be available to explain and answer your further questions.
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Greater Denver metro area and Colorado Car Accident Lawyers.
Hull and Zimmerman, P.C.
2921 W. 120th Ave., Ste 220
Westminster, Colorado 80234
Phone: 303-423-1770
Fax: 303-423-2102
Toll Free: 1-866-385-3505
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