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If you are ever involved in a motor vehicle accident, you need to act fast ― especially if people have suffered serious injuries. In fact, whether you are involved in a car wreck, a motorcycle crash or a trucking accident, your immediate actions can help ensure that you have legal options down the road. Here are 5 tips for what to do after a car accident in the Denver metro area:
- Never leave the scene: The only time you should leave the scene of an accident is when emergency medical treatment is necessary ― and even then, you should only leave in an ambulance. Staying at the scene will help avoid any confusion and will ensure that no charges for hit and run are filed.
- Get medical treatment: If anyone is injured, you need to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. In many cases, even minor collisions can lead to serious injuries that require treatment, hospitalization and even surgery ― all of which can leave you with significant medical costs. Quite simply, if you are hurting, we recommend you consult a licensed medical professional to document any injuries you sustained as a result of the collision. Documentation of your injuries is extremely important if you end up filing a car accident claim.
- Call the police: The police officer will be able to obtain all of the information from all parties involved. The officer will create an official record of the accident that you can later obtain. An accident report is often used by the insurance company to confirm the events and help determine fault. Without an accident report, the entire set of events may be completely denied by the at-fault party.
- Collect important information: Although the police will gather information from all involved parties, it is very important that you obtain as much information for your own records, especially since accident reports are often not available for a few weeks. If you are able to gather the important information, you are not held hostage by the police department before work on your claim can be started. The following information should be obtained if possible: 1) Names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses for all parties involved; 2) drivers’ license and license plate numbers for all parties and vehicles involved; 3) insurance company name and policy numbers for all involved; and 4) name and ALL contact information for any and all eyewitnesses to the accident.
- Take photos: Most phones have cameras on them today, so use them. Pictures of conditions or circumstances at the scene of the crash can be invaluable, particularly when proving fault. Be sure to photograph the scene of the crash, damages sustained to your vehicle and to all other vehicles involved. Photographs really are worth a thousand words and can help protect you in case of any dispute.
However, it is important to remember that, depending on your circumstances, additional steps may also be necessary following car crash ― which brings us to another very important tip. Start a Free Case Review of your case]
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