Car Accident Checklist.

1. Check to see if you or any passengers with you were injured in the automobile accident. Do not hesitate to call “911” for medical help if anyone needs medical attention. If anyone is unconscious, it is best not to move them unless absolutely necessary as moving them could make their injuries worse. If you must move injured people, make sure to keep their head and neck supported the entire time.

2. Safely get out of the way of traffic. If your car does not work, turn on your warning lights or open your hood to warn other drivers in the area. Your safety is most important.

3. Call the police if the auto accident involves damage, injury or death.

4. Obtain information from the all other drivers and witnesses involved in the car accident, including:

Name: _____________________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________
City: _______________________________________________________________
Telephone Numbers (mobile, home & work): ___________________________________________________________________
Email: ______________________________________________________________
Insurance Company: ____________________________________________________
Policy Number: ________________________________________________________
Coverage Limits (liability): _______________________________________________

5. Obtain police officers information:

Name: _________________________________________________________________
Badge Number: __________________________________________________________
City: ___________________________________________________________________

6. Write down the car accident information:

Date: _______________
Time: ______________
Other car description:
Make: ____________________________________
Model: ____________________________________
Year: _____________________________________
Color: _____________________________________
State: _____________________________________
Car License Plate Number: ____________________

7. Take pictures of everything involved in the car accident, as long as it can be done safely. These pictures should include each car driver, each automobile in the car accident showing any property damage, skid marks, any other damage to property, as well as the location of the automobile accident. The more pictures the better. When in doubt, take pictures. It is a good idea to keep a disposable camera in your glove compartment or trunk. If there are no other cameras available, then you should use a cell phone camera. Pictures may help your automobile insurance company determine how much you should be paid for your injuries.

8. Schedule an appointment with your doctor. Sometimes there are injuries right after an accident takes place, but many people who are injured do not realize it right after an accident. Therefore, it is always wise to see your doctor to make sure that you are ok.

9. Before speaking to the insurance company, make sure to consult an experienced auto accident attorney. Many times the insurance companies will try to settle for less than you deserve, especially when injuries are involved. It is a great idea to find out all of your options with a FREE telephone or office consultation from Former Insurance Company Automobile Accident Attorney Michael Pines to discuss your legal rights.

10. Create an auto accident diagram. This guide might help.

Accident Diagram

Click Here for a Printable Version of the Auto Accident Checklist

Call us now or click here for a FREE CONSULTATION with an experienced automobile accident attorney as to how we may help you at 1-800-655-6585. We look forward to providing good advice to help you make smart decisions about your case in either English or Spanish.

Most Recent Blog Post

[caption id="attachment_21715" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Photo Credit: The San Diego Union Tribune"][/caption] Last week, we reported on a car accident in San Diego that resulted out of alleged teen street racing. In new developments, the 18-year-old driver charged with the death of the two teenagers involved in the street racing has pleaded not guilty to vehicular manslaughter among four other charges according to reports at the San Diego Union Tribune. The news follows the earlier arrest of another 16-year-old driver that was taken into custody on similar charges. Just shortly after his arraignment, Michael Johnson, the 18-year-old driver of a Volvo S40, said, according to his attorney, that he is not the responsible party in the tragic San Diego accident fatalities that occurred April 4. Accident reports indicate that Johnson was returning from a spring break beach party in La Jolla when he was allegedly involved in a street racing contest with another teen driver – the unidentified 16-year-old driver of a Volkswagen Passat whose name has not been released since he is a minor. According to Deputy District Attorney Kristen Spieler, the two vehicles were zigzagging across lanes at speeds reaching up to a staggering 100 m.p.h. The 16-year-old driver in the Passat lost control over the vehicle, causing the car to flip over several times across multiple lanes of the road. Two passengers, Anthony Foreman, 18, and Jayli Campbell, 16, were thrown from the Passat and died at the scene of the accident. Two passengers survived the crash. Charlotte McQuillen, survived the accident although she suffered serious injury as a result of the collision including reports that say the teen will have to recover from traumatic brain injury. Anthoney Taylor, 16, also survived the crash although his injuries are unclear at this time. Johnson did not flee the scene of the accident according to police reports and cooperated with authorities once officers assessed the scene of the collision. The teen has no prior criminal record, although authorities say his vehicle was found containing a small amount of marijuana. Johnson is being charged with intoxicated driving, although his lawyer says there were no field sobriety tests to confirm the teen’s alleged intoxication. Teen driving: reminders for concerned parents Last week, we blogged on actions parents can take to prevent teen car accidents. Tips include:

Sign a parent-teen contract. Download your free contract now.
Enforcing the rules. Every teen driver needs to know that rules are there for a purpose, and when they are broken, consequences will follow.
Have a DUI backup plan. As most parents can attest, there are many instances when teen drivers run into problems that supersede their know-how and maturity. Drinking is one of those problems. In cases of emergency, your teen should have an open-door policy where they feel safe to call you when they need help – such in the case of drunk driving or driving while intoxicated.

About the Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC The Law Offices of Michael Pines, APC are specialists in car accident injury. Every personal injury attorney in our San Diego office works hard to seek maximum recovery for every injured client. Your case is handled without any out-of-pocket costs, so do not hesitate to speak to a San Diego personal injury lawyer today for a free legal evaluation. Call us at 1-800-655-6585.