What should I do immediately after a car accident in California?

What should I do immediately after a car accident in California?

The moments immediately after a car accident are the ones that shape everything that follows — medically, legally, and financially. Here is exactly what every attorney at Cohn & Swartzon LLP would tell you to do.

Move to safety if you can do so without worsening any injury. Turn on your hazard lights. Call 911 — both for emergency medical services and to have law enforcement document the scene. Do not move an injured person unless there is an immediate safety risk.

Stay at the scene. Leaving the scene of an accident in California is a criminal offense regardless of fault.

Document everything before anything is moved or repaired. Use your phone to photograph every vehicle, every point of impact, every piece of debris, every visible injury, every skid mark, and every traffic control sign or signal in the area. Take a wide shot of the full scene and close shots of each specific element.

Get the other driver’s name, license number, insurance carrier, policy number, vehicle registration, and phone number. Get the names and contact information of every witness.

Do not apologize. Do not speculate about what happened. Do not say you are fine or that your injuries are minor — adrenaline suppresses pain and injuries frequently do not surface for hours or days.

Request a copy of the police report number before officers leave the scene.Seek medical evaluation the same day — even if you feel relatively unharmed. And call Cohn & Swartzon LLP at 888-480-3883. Our team is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week at legalhelp123.com. The consultation is free and the call changes everything that follows.