What’s The First Thing You Should Do After a Car Wreck?

Attorney Tyler Bailey | 888-981-0034 | Free Consult

What’s the first thing you should do after a car wreck?

Tyler Bailey is the founder of Bailey Law Firm, which is based in Columbia, South Carolina. He can assist with matters ranging from personal injury and workers' compensation to criminal defense, family law, and civil law. He was named one of the Top 40 Under 40 trial lawyers by National Trial Lawyers Monthly.

To learn more, contact the attorney directly by calling 888-981-0034 or by submitting a contact form on this page. The consultation is free and confidential, and you owe no out-of-pocket attorney fees.

After a car accident, contact law enforcement.

It is extremely important to contact law enforcement immediately after finding yourself involved in a motor vehicle collision. Reporting the wreck to law enforcement can ensure that an official record exists of the incident and may help preserve important evidence, including pictures of the scene and witness testimonies. You may then be able to report this information gathered by law enforcement to your insurance company as proof of what happened and also to an attorney if legal action is necessary to pursue adequate compensation.

Law enforcement officers are trained to know what kind of evidence to gather and look for at the scene. However, if you are able, you may also choose to take pictures and videos of the surroundings, both vehicles, damaged property, and any other pertinent evidence.

Seek medical attention.

It is also imperative to seek medical attention as soon as possible after being involved in an accident. Even if an injury seems relatively minor at first, it could prove to have extreme consequences later. In fact, some injuries may not be felt until days or even weeks after the crash occurred.

Seeking medical attention immediately after an accident can help protect your case in the future, and remove the possibility of another party claiming that you couldn’t have been hurt badly if you were able to wait to seek care. This also ensures that an official record exists documenting the presence and severity of the injury itself. This record may help you and your attorney if legal action becomes necessary.

Collect witness information.

Bailey recommends collecting the information of anyone from the scene of the accident who might have observed the wreck or the behavior of both drivers leading up to the wreck. While law enforcement might do this as well, it doesn’t hurt to ask for the contact information of these potential witnesses for your attorney to follow up with later on. Additionally, if a witness agrees to it, you might also consider making a video recording of their testimony at the scene.

If you or a loved one were involved in a car crash, contact an attorney as soon as possible so they can help begin the process of preserving essential evidence and reaching out to other sources that might have proof that could help your case. Most of the attorneys that handle these cases work on contingency, which means you won’t be required to pay for their services unless and until they are able to win your case.

To learn more, contact Tyler Bailey directly by calling 888-981-0034 or by submitting a contact form on this page. The consultation is free and confidential, and you owe no out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Video Transcript:

Rob Rosenthal:

Hey, Quick Question: what are the first things you should do after a car accident? Here's what attorney Tyler Bailey of Columbia, South Carolina says.

Tyler Bailey:

The first thing you should do after a car wreck is call law enforcement. You want to report the car wreck to law enforcement, so you can later submit it to your lawyer and also the insurance company. After that, you want to make sure to get any witness information, any witnesses who may observe the wreck. You also should get medical attention as soon you can, and after that, you should contact a personal injury lawyer.

Disclaimer: This video is for informational purposes only. In some states, this video may be deemed Attorney Advertising. The choice of lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertisements.