What to do after a car accident in Missouri
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Stay Calm.
The most important thing is to stay calm and keep a level head. -
Stay at the Scene.
Always stay at the scene of an accident, whether it was your fault or another persons unless you need immediate medical attention. Also, because you do not know the other person or if they will stay, immediately look at their license plate so if they do leave after having done damage to your car, you can give the plate number to the police. -
Phone calls.
One of the first things you need to do is call the police. This way they will be immediately on their way while you are talking with the other driver involved in the accident. The police should always be involved, even if the other driver, and/or you, do not want to report it to your insurance companies. This way a report will be on file so if there is damage that needs to be fixed then the other driver cannot say it was not them because you will have something on file from the police. If you do decide to report it to insurance, this will also help you with damages because it will be on file and will have been reported immediately after the incident occurred. -
Make sure everyone involved in the accident is okay.
After calling the police, make sure everyone in your car as well as everyone from the other party are okay and if possible move yourselves to a safer area until the police do get there and can block off the road from oncoming cars. -
Exchange Insurance and Contact Information.
Exchange your name, driver's license number, phone number and address. Also, all parties need to exchange their insurance company information, including: name of company, address, phone number and policy number. -
Talk to people who may have seen the accident.
If you happen to have an accident next to a restaurant or grocery store, talk to people who are in the parking lot or in the building. They may have seen something that will help with insurance. Get the name and phone number of everyone you talk to, so if necessary, they can be reached again. -
Take Pictures.
Always take pictures of the accident, the surroundings, any injuries you may have sustained, and anything else you feel would be important. Keep a disposable camera in your glove box so that you have something to take the pictures with. Or nowadays, with smart phones, use your phone to take as many pictures as you can. -
Write down everything.
It is always good to write everything down immediately. You will remember more, while it is still fresh in your mind. It is best if you just start at the beginning and go step by step from there. Include every detail you can remember, even your injuries you sustained. Also, write down any conversations you have with the other motorist. -
Make your insurance company aware.
It is always important to make sure your insurance company is aware that you have been in a car accident and there has been damage done to your vehicle. -
Contact an attorney.
Dealing with an auto accident is complicated, time consuming a frustrating. Contact an attorney as soon as possible after an accident. If you have been in accident in Missouri, please contact our law firm for immediate assistance. At Price & Randle, we are here to help you. For more information, please visit our website: www.lakeinjurylawyer.com. You can also call us at: 573-348-0700 or email us at: [email protected]
Additional resources provided by the author
If you have been in accident in Missouri, please contact our law firm for immediate assistance. At Price & Randle, we are here to help you. For more information, please visit our website: www.lakeinjurylawyer.com. You can also call us at: 573-348-0700 or email us at: [email protected]
