Experienced Florida Auto Accident Attorneys

Keep Calm and Evaluate the Situation

The most important thing you can do after being involved in an accident is to remain level-headed. Calmly, remove yourself and any passengers from harm’s way.

If you or a passenger in your car has been injured and needs medical attention, call 911 as soon as possible to request an ambulance.

Call the Police

This is an important step. An official accident report can provide essential details that may be very important to your case. Often the officer that arrives on the scene did not witness the accident, so they will rely on testimony from the drivers to put together an accurate picture of what happened.

Be honest with them and stick to the facts.

Get the Other Driver’s Information

You can simply take pictures of the other party’s driver’s license, license plate, and insurance card. Save these in a separate album on your phone to be easily accessible.

Do Not Discuss Fault With Anyone on the Scene

Even saying something as seemingly harmless as “I’m sorry” to the other driver can be construed as admitting fault, especially if they report this to their insurance adjuster.

Take Pictures and Videos of the Scene and of Any Visible Injuries

This step will help to prove that the accident was the cause of your injuries and property damage.

Be sure to take pictures and videos from several angles of the general scene. Try to include any street signs or identifying landmarks to clarify the location.

If there were any hazards near the location of the accident, be sure they are clearly visible in your photos. Show all damage caused to any vehicles involved in the accident and your visible injuries (continue to document them during the healing process).

Get the Contact Information of Eyewitnesses

Eyewitness testimony can be very helpful to a case, as it can help establish fault. If anyone directly witnessed your accident, ask them to stay at the scene to give a statement to the police, and get their contact information.

Seek Medical Attention

A good rule of thumb is to seek medical treatment within 24 hours of an accident. Remember that in order to preserve a Personal Injury Protection (PIP) claim, you must seek medical treatment within 14 days of your auto accident.

Be sure to document all your doctor’s visits and be consistent in attending follow-up appointments and following all prescribed treatments.

Stay off Social Media

Anything you post online about your accident may be found and used against you to deny your claim. It is safest to avoid discussing the details of your accident online altogether.

Notify Your Insurance Company (required)

You are required to let your insurance company know that you have been in an accident, so be sure to call them as soon as possible. You can discuss the accident briefly, but do not go into too much detail in order to preserve your claim.

If the insurance adjuster pressures you to give a recorded statement, you should politely decline and let them know that all requests will be handled by your attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to exert pressure on accident victims.

Contact an Auto Accident Attorney

Contacting an experienced auto accident attorney can be the key to maximizing the value of your claim. They will be able to meet with you, gather the important details from your accident, answer any questions you may have, and discuss your next steps.

The quicker you contact an attorney, the better, as they will be able to help preserve all potential evidence related to your claim.