1) After a car accident, you should check for injuries, contact the police and emergency services, and gather contact information from others involved. 2) You should take pictures of the accident scene if possible and get contact information from any witnesses. 3) Seek medical treatment even if you do not feel serious pain initially, as injuries can worsen later. Contact a personal injury attorney if you have suffered injuries.

1. WHAT TO DO
AFTER A CAR
ACCIDENT
In the wake of a crash,
having a plan can make all
the difference.
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2. The Trauma of a Car
Wreck
Car accidents are terrifying experiences that activate
our body’s emergency response systems. Our heart
rate increases, our stress responses kick into high
gear and our emotions can range from complete
panic to numbness. The last thing most people think
about in these situations is following a series of
steps that will later be in their best interest. However,
if you know what you should do after a crash, you’ll
be more likely to follow the proper protocol.
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3. Step 1 - Check for All
Apparent Injuries
Immediately following a crash, you should see if
you, your passengers or the occupants of the
other vehicle are seriously injured. After a
wreck, adrenaline can mask injuries, so look for
blood or signs of trauma. If someone shows
signs of an injury, your priority will be calling an
ambulance.
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1.

4. Step 2 - Contact the Police
and Emergency Medical
Responders
Your next step should be contacting the police
to come to the scene of the crash. The police
will talk to those involved and file a report. That
report will be later be used for insurance
purposes and could potentially be a vital
document if the crash results in a personal
injury claim. While calling the police, you should
also request emergency medical treatment for
anyone that has been injured.
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888-568-5405
2.

5. Step 3 - Get Contact
Information but Avoid Small
Talk
You’ll need to gather the other driver’s contact and
insurance information. However, it’s usually in your
best interest not to engage with the other driver
beyond a basic exchange of information.
For example, let’s say you are naturally an agreeable,
polite person and you apologize to the other driver
because you are trying to avoid a potentially heated
confrontation. Despite your best intentions, you are
essentially admitting liability, even if you were not
actually at fault for the collision.
Be polite, but don’t engage in lengthy dialogue with the
other driver.
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888-568-5405
3.

6. Step 4 - If Possible, Take
Pictures and Get the Contact
Information of Witnesses
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888-568-5405
If you are physically capable of doing so,
consider taking pictures of the crash site with
your smartphone. This could serve as evidence
that will bolster your insurance claim and be
useful if you need to file a personal injury claim.
If there were witnesses to your crash, consider
gathering their contact information so you can
later get their account of what happened.
4.

7. Step 5 - Seek Medical
Treatment
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888-568-5405
Even if you don’t believe you have suffered an
injury that requires emergency treatment, you
should still see a doctor after a crash.
Because of shock, you might not feel the pain
of an injury after an accident. Visit a physician
as soon as possible; if any pains, bumps or
bruises become apparent in the days that
follow, schedule a follow-up immediately.
5.

8. Step 6 - Contact a Personal
Injury Attorney
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888-568-5405
If you’ve suffered an injury in a car accident,
consider contacting a personal injury attorney.
An attorney can help ensure you get the
compensation you deserve from an insurance
company. An attorney can also help you deal
with the paperwork and other processes that
you might encounter after a crash.
6.

9. Step 7 - Keep Copies of
Everything
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In the days, weeks and months that follow a
crash, you will likely get letters, emails,
medical bills, car repair bills and any other
number of documents. Keep a folder
containing all your documents and make
copies frequently. The better you can
document your injuries, costs and other
damages, the better equipped you’ll be to
have a successful injury claim.
7.

10. Take Your Injuries Seriously
and Contact an Experienced
Attorney
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888-568-5405
Don’t be tempted to simply “shake it off” after a
car accident. Listen to your body, seek
treatment for injuries and talk to an attorney
if your injuries are serious. If you don’t, you
might be positioning yourself to carry an
unnecessarily large financial burden while
simultaneously suffering from the fallout of a
serious injury.

11. Contact Neale & Fhima to
Learn More
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888-568-5405
At Neale & Fhima, we have helped countless
clients across Southern California get the
compensation they deserve. If you or a loved
one has been injured in a car accident, contact
us today to schedule a free, no-obligation
consultation.
Communities We Serve: Dana Point | San Diego | Los Angeles | San Francisco