Keep a Post-auto Accident Plan in Your Glove Box

If you are in an accident, what you do after the accident can go a long way towards helping your attorney get you the compensation you are legally entitled to. It can also help your insurance company defend against an excessive claim against your policy. If you have a smartphone, here are a few things that you can do to help your attorney with legal issues regarding the accident.

Take a photo of the other driver's information

Although it is important to write down the other driver's information, it is also a good idea to get photos. Make sure you get both sides of the driver's license and insurance card. You need to do this for every driver involved in the accident. You also need to get a good shot of the license plate. This takes on greater significance when there is no police called to the scene of the accident. Without a police report, exaggerated claims are common.

Take pictures of the damage to each vehicle

The repair bill for damage to a vehicle involved in a car accident can increase dramatically if there isn't proof of what damage was actually caused by the accident. If you're accused of being at fault for the accident, then having these photos will help an attorney or claims adjuster fight against an unwarranted claim. You should also take photos of the surrounding area of the crash, including any damage to property. Also, take photos of any pertinent road signs. Keep in mind that it is okay to take close up photos, but you need to take the same photo from a distance that includes visual references, so it is clear where a certain object is located.

Take photos and record people at the scene of the accident

You have to be tactful with this. If someone is seriously injured, it will be well documented by medical staff at the emergency room. However, when people have only minor injuries, such as scrapes that don't require stitches, you need to record them, if only briefly. The reason for this is that people can claim a wide assortment of injuries after a crash, whether or not they're true. Injuries to the back are especially hard to disprove. However, if you have a recording of an individual who claims to have a serious injury but at the time of the accident was walking and talking just fine, this could be helpful to your lawyer.

Obviously, any time there are injuries, you or someone else needs to call 911 emergency for immediate help. A serious injury will mean the police arrive on the scene, and they will make a police report. There will also be emergency room records of injuries. However, in other situations, you need to use your smartphone to document everything possible. This will help an attorney defend you, as well as help you get compensation for damages.

If you've been in an accident and require the services of a personal injury attorney, consider contacting a lawyer like Kenneth P Hicks.