Check yourself and everyone else for injuries. If anyone is hurt, call 911 and ask for an ambulance. Then, if it’s safe to do so and you are strong enough, use your phone to start collecting evidence on the scene.
Gathering Evidence on the Scene of a Thousand Oaks Traffic Collision
A scary car crash on a busy route like Highway 101 or Janss Road can leave motorists in pain and very confused. But if victims are left strong enough, it’s the best time to collect powerful evidence that may be the key to holding a careless driver and an insurance company responsible.
The moments after a collision will be crucial because the most important evidence will only be available for a short window of time. Once victims have left the scene and it’s cleaned up and cleared, that proof of what happened may disappear forever.
See to your injuries and the injuries first and alert emergency officials. But then, if you feel up to it, try to document what happened:
- Get all injuries checked out by paramedics
- Go to the hospital if necessary
- Take pictures of damaged cars, relevant street signs, and any visible injuries
- Gather contact information from witnesses
- Exchange information with other drivers if an officer doesn’t provide the information to you
- Note the presence of any security cameras on nearby homes or businesses
Knowing what to do right after an accident will help you build a strong case for later when you’ll have to depend on unhelpful insurance adjusters for help. They may try to blame you for what happened or try to withhold support for medical treatment needed. You could get stuck with all of your medical bills while losing paychecks at work because of a serious injury.
Gathering evidence right after a crash is important, but remember that if you have a Thousand Oaks car accident lawyer handling your case, your lawyer will also go to work collecting evidence. Your attorney examines California Highway Patrol or Thousand Oaks Police accident reports to make sure they are accurate. Your lawyer collects your medical records and works with doctors to calculate the support you’ll need to pay your current bills and the money you’ll need for any future care. You can relax and focus on healing while your attorney fights to get every benefit available to you.
What You Shouldn’t Do After a Car Accident
Taking action on the scene is important to your case, but there are some things you should avoid in the moments after a traffic accident.
- Don’t say you are “okay” to the other drivers involved. Don’t talk about how seriously you are hurt. When you say “I’m alright,” an insurance company may twist that statement around later to imply that you admitted you weren’t hurt. They’ll try to say that you are lying about any injuries you discovered later. The truth is that in the shock of a collision, the pain of an injury may be masked until a day or two later. Let medical professionals decide the extent of your injuries.
- Don’t say “my fault” or apologize for an accident to other drivers. Insurance adjusters will jump on your statements and try to imply that you admitted fault for what happened. After a frightening impact, you may not know what exactly happened and who was to blame. Allow law enforcement officers and your attorney to collect the evidence and decide who caused the crash.
- Don’t refuse medical help. Call for an ambulance if you are hurt in any way. Allow paramedics to examine every pain and wound. Go to the emergency room if the paramedics think you should or if you feel you should. Getting full medical care for your injury and getting your injuries documented will be key to building your case.
- Don’t stress about gathering evidence. If you must leave for the hospital, ask someone with you or a helpful witness to take some pictures for you.
Trust a Thousand Oaks Lawyer with Your Car Accident Case
If you or a loved one are seriously hurt in a collision, and another driver is to blame, speak to Quirk Accident & Injury Attorneys, APC. We offer a free consultation to all Thousand Oaks and Ventura County victims. It’s a way to stay informed of the benefits a car insurance company won’t tell you about.
If we can help you earn more for your recovery costs, you won’t need any money to hire our Thousand Oaks car accident attorneys. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee is paid out of the settlement you receive.
Please check out our answers to other frequently asked questions from Thousand Oaks car accident victims.