Being involved in a vehicular collision can be jolting at best, and traumatic at worst. In the immediate moments after a car accident, it can be difficult to have the presence of mind to take steps to protect yourself and your interests. To help you keep these top-of-mind, here are 12 common-sense yet critical steps to take after a car accident in Georgia. (If necessary, feel free to print this list and keep it in the car with you.)

1. Make sure you’re okay before moving.

Immediately after a collision, it often takes a few moments before we can assess the severity of what happened. Your first impulse may be to try to exit the vehicle, but unless you smell smoke or see fire, it’s best to take a moment and assess your own well-being. If you’ve been significantly injured, attempting to move might make it worse. Just take a moment. Immediately after a collision, it often takes a few moments before we can assess the severity of what happened. Your first impulse may be to try to exit the vehicle, but unless you smell smoke or see fire, it’s best to take a moment and assess your own well-being. If you’ve been significantly injured, attempting to move might make it worse. Just take a moment.

2. Check on everyone else involved in the accident.

No matter how severe the damage and no matter who is at fault, the first priority is everyone’s health and well-being. Even minor collisions can cause injury, and in severe collisions, lives may hang in the balance. Check any passengers in your vehicle, and if you’re relatively unhurt, check on those in the other vehicles as well. Get medical help immediately, if necessary.

3. Call first responders (i.e., police, fire, paramedics).

After a car accident, always call 911 to get police, fire department and medical help on the scene as soon as possible. For minor collisions where no one is believed to be hurt, follow local guidelines for calling in non-emergencies. If you’re on a highway in Georgia, state police will likely respond. If you’re in town, local authorities will come.

4. Exchange insurance information with other driver(s).

This is standard procedure, but if you’re rattled, it can be easy to forget. It is important to get as much information from the at-fault driver as possible. This includes insurance information, drivers license number, address and tag number.

5. Don’t let other driver(s) leave until police arrive.

If the other driver wants to leave the scene, try to dissuade them until the police have made their report. Avoid negotiating with the other driver if they offer to pay cash to avoid filing a claim or talking to police. Getting the police report will help the insurance company move faster since the investigating officer will usually determine fault at the scene.

6. Take photos of the damage and the scene.

This step and the ones that follow are all about gathering evidence. The best time to grab photos with your phone is before anything is moved or touched. If you are physically able, use the time before police arrive to take as many photos as possible – of the damaged vehicles, of the scene itself, and of any pertinent injuries.

7. Talk to witnesses.

If anyone saw the accident, ask him or her what he or she observed and obtain their contact information. The police will probably question them, as well, but there’s no harm in getting your own. If you have voice record or video on your phone, that’s the easiest way to gather testimony.

8. Talk to police.

When the police arrive, tell them what happened and your observations for their reports. Do not leave the scene until the police dismiss you.

9. Get copies of all documentation.

This step will extend after a car accident itself, but start now. Be sure to get accident number from the officer so that you can obtain a copy of the police report. Copy down the other driver’s insurance information, or snap a photo of the insurance card. From now on, keep receipts of all expenses related to the accident, including repair bills, medical bills, and incidentals. Get copies of all medical paperwork. All of this is potential evidence.

10. Seek medical attention.

If you experience an injury, paramedics will begin treating you at the scene and send you to the hospital if necessary. But even if you seem unhurt, you should be checked by a physician as soon after the accident as possible. (Some injuries don’t manifest themselves until after the fact.)

11. Talk to your insurance company.

Even if the accident was not your fault, your insurance company should be informed of the accident so they can prepare a claim and begin the discourse with the other insurance company, if possible. This requirement of notifying your insurance company is sometimes a requirement of your policy and a prerequisite in potentially using your benefits.

12. Talk to an attorney.

If you have sustained damage or injury after a car accident, you’ll need an attorney’s help to ensure you receive all the compensation to which you are entitled. Even though the statute of limitations is two years for filing a personal injury suit in Georgia, in complicated accidents, it can take time to process the details of your case. Many law firms (ours included) offer a free initial consultation to determine whether an attorney’s help is necessary. If you?re unsure, it costs nothing to make sure. Sutton Slover handles personal injury cases exclusively, which enables us to focus all our attention on our clients who need our help. If you’ve been in a car accident in Georgia, call us at 404.768.0292 for a free case evaluation.