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You’ve been injured in a car accident.
It wasn’t your fault. Now what?
Here are the Top 10 things to do 48 hours after an accident.
Follow up with your doctor
Even if you believe the crash was minor, it doesn’t hurt to get checked out to make sure everything is OK.
Your doctor can check for injuries and if necessary, refer you to physical therapists or other doctors.
Play it safe and get checked out.
Get videos of the accident
Many places have surveillance cameras nowadays, however, these videos are often deleted within 24 hours or less.
Check with every business in the area for videos of the accident.
Look for video from sources like ATM machines, home security systems, and city surveillance cameras as well.
Get witness statements
Get a statement from any witnesses right away. You can have them write the statement down or you can write it for them.
You may even want to record it with their permission on your smart phone.
If it is written, be sure to have the witness initial each page and sign the end.
Record your own statement
Write down everything you remember about the accident as soon possible so you don’t forget any important details later.
Note any statements the other driver might have made like “I never saw you” or “I’m sorry I was on my phone”.
Document your injuries
Document your injuries with photos.
Keep a journal to track missed work or trouble doing things like bending over or picking things up.
Document the scene
Take photos of the scene. Document things like traffic lights the number of traffic lanes, and signs like “do not enter” or “no left turn”.
Look for skid marks, any damage to trees or guard rails, or anything that may have obstructed the other driver’s view.
Get other driver’s info
At a minimum you should get the other driver’s name, address, phone number, driver’s license number, and insurance information.
Note the make, model, and color of the other car and the license plate number.
Notify your insurance company
Many people don’t want to tell their insurance companies about an accident because it wasn’t their fault or they are afraid their rates will go up.
Under Illinois law, however, your insurance policy requires you to tell your insurance company if you have had a crash.
If you don’t, you could be putting your own coverage in jeopardy.
Obtain traffic crash report
In Illinois, the copy of the police report you get on the scene is called a motorist report.
The official report filed with the police is called a traffic crash report. This is the one you need to get.
It has additional information about the crash like what tickets were issued and who the witnesses are.
Meet with an attorney to evaluate your case
Although sometimes it may not be worth it if your injuries are minor, it never hurts to speak with an attorney.
Most won’t charge for an initial consultation. In cases that involve serious injury, an attorney can make sure you are protecting your rights.
Fabbrini Law Group has been helping accident victims for over 20 years. Our highly rated and trusted attorneys will evaluate your case for free. To find out what your case may be worth, give us a call at 312-494-3131.