Bob’s Random Legal Wisdom:

What to Do After a Car Accident

by Bob Anderton

Recently, a woman in Texas hit a pedestrian with her car. Rather than stopping, she drove home with the victim stuck in her windshield. She then left him inside her garage for few days until he finally died. This brings me to my first point:

Assist the Injured. If someone is hurt, call 911. Even if you are at fault for the collision, help anyone who is hurt. You are going to be in a lot more trouble if you leave the scene.

Call Police. Many accidents are difficult to determine who is at fault. Unless police investigate, you may be blamed for an accident that was not really your fault.

Exchange Information. Unfortunately, police are not required to prepare reports for accidents with minimal property damage or where the collision occurs on private property. If the police don’t show up, be sure to get the name, address, phone number, and insurance information for all involved people. Also write down license plate numbers. Seemingly earnest people can give out fake information, especially when they are at fault.

Don’t Move Your Car. Unless the vehicles in the accident create a hazard for other traffic, leave them be until the police show up. The positions of the vehicles are important for determining who is at fault.

Get Witness Information. Many witnesses leave by the time police arrive. Write down witness names and phone numbers. License plate numbers can also help.

Report the Accident to Your Insurance Company. You should let your insurance company know about the accident. You may be contacted by an insurance adjuster for another person involved in the accident. Insurance adjusters will usually ask to take a recorded statement. If you are thinking about hiring an attorney, now is the time to get one. These statements can and will be used against you. Even your own insurance company may use your statement against you.

Get Treatment if You Are Hurt. If you aren’t injured don’t waste your time and money on treatment you don’t need. But, if you are hurt, get treatment. Many moderately injured people delay seeking treatment in the hopes that they will recover on their own. Unfortunately, often they don’t. Insurance companies then use this to argue that people aren’t genuinely injured.

Consult a Lawyer if You Are Seriously Hurt. You know whether you are seriously injured. What you probably don’t know is the value of your claim. Insurance companies exploit this information imbalance in settling claims with unrepresented people.

Remember Anderton Law Office. For over ten years Bob Anderton has been ethically yet tenaciously representing injured people. Contact him at (206) 262-9290 or bob@andertonlaw.com

Seattle personal injury lawyer Bob Anderton represents bicyclists, pedestrians, and drivers who have been injured in collisions. He occasionally represents people who have been injured in unsafe places or those whose insurance companies have acted in bad faith. He is also a court-appointed settlement guardian ad litem.

Bob can be reached at (206) 262-9290 or bob@andertonlaw.com.