What to Do at the Scene of a Car Accident in Rhode Island

What should you do at the scene of a car accident? Your first step is always to put yourself in the safest possible environment out of further harm’s way and then to call 911 to request medical help. 

After, protect your best interests and the integrity of your claim by calling a Rhode Island car accident lawyer.

What You Do After a Car Accident Matters

The actions you take at the scene of an accident are critically important for several reasons. The first reason is that it can protect your life from further injury and catastrophic injuries.

Your priority should always be to protect yourself from additional harm and then to help others who are facing harm when you can do so safely.

The second reason to follow a few basic rules after an accident is that doing so could minimize the risk of losing your ability to file a claim against those who hurt you.

The law is clear in that you need to document your losses and clarify fault if you plan to pursue financial compensation for your losses. The actions you take can support your right to compensation by showing fault while also demonstrating the physical and emotional impact of what occurred.

If you have already been in a car accident and have not followed these steps, do not worry too much about that right now. Instead, contact a car accident lawyer who can help you piece together the areas of missing information or questioning to build a robust case.

Your Rhode Island personal injury lawyer can help demonstrate all of your losses and use resources to create proof of other losses.

What to Do Right After a Car Accident

After a car accident, be aggressive in protecting yourself by moving out of the street and away from traffic when determining what to do at the scene of a car accident.

At this point, you need to assess the situation around you to determine what options you have, prioritizing your own safety and that of others above anything else. Once you are safe, if you can remain at the scene, take the following steps:

• Call 911. Follow all instructions provided by the dispatcher. Do not speculate on the phone or provide any details about what you were doing at the time of the accident. Instead, just get help to the scene.
• Inform the police officer of only facts. State where you were, what was happening around you, and what actions you took. Do not admit fault, demonstrate that you are sorry for the accident, or try to speculate on what took place. Only the facts.
• Document the accident with photos and video. This helps to demonstrate later what took place while also preserving the location of debris and damage. Take photos and video of the surrounding area, the weather conditions, your injuries, and the damage to both vehicles and the surrounding area.
• Get the contact information for all involved. This includes the other driver as well as any witnesses who stopped to help. When possible, request the name, phone number, and insurance information for the at-fault party. A copy of their driver’s license – such as a photo of it – could help you later as well.
• Get medical care. Do not wait for your symptoms to worsen. Get to the medical center as soon as you can after the accident. This helps create a starting point for you to demonstrate where your injuries stem from and what they are.

These steps should be your priority at the scene of a car accident, but always use your best judgment. You do not want to do anything that could put you at risk for further injuries or endanger other people. Make sure that, after these steps, you contact an attorney to start fighting for you as well.

Contacting the Insurance Company

At the scene of the accident, you should inform the responsible insurance company of the accident, whether that is your own company or that of the other party. 

This is an initial notice, not a claim, and you should not answer any extensive questions at this point. Wait until you have an attorney working on your case to help you navigate the actual claims process.

File a Police Report

File a police report that documents what occurred and any details you have if a police officer did not respond to the scene of the accident. This is done at the local police station, such as the Providence Police Department, or may be done online in some areas. Police reports gather facts and should not contain any type of subjective information.

Maintain Your Medical Care and Follow the Doctor’s Directions

In the time after your car accident, always complete all follow-up care, physical therapy, treatments, and emotional counseling recommended or required by your doctor.

This helps to establish and build your case for your losses later, and it may be critical to demonstrating to the court that the accident impacted your well-being. We strongly encourage you to document all of your appointments, diagnoses, and statements made by your medical team.

Avoid the Most Common Mistakes After an Accident

Avoid making key mistakes that could be costly to you after your car accident, such as using social media to update friends and family on your well-being or making disparaging statements about the other party.

Protect your right to compensation by speaking only to your attorney. Avoid filing a claim until you talk to your Rhode Island multi-car pileup lawyer about your case, as well.

Seek Legal Guidance from a Car Accident Lawyer in Rhode Island

By taking these steps at the scene of a car accident, you are working to preserve your right to full and fair compensation, and you are ensuring the police will be able to document what took place.

At Gemma Law Associates, our car accident lawyers are here for you at any time. Let our 100 years of combined experience go to work, building a strong case for the recovery of your losses.