If you have been involved in a motor vehicle collision, it is extremely important that you document and collect all of the necessary documents and information from the scene of the motor vehicle collision. You must obtain the name, address and telephone number of the negligent driver and obtain all of their insurance information.
Take a picture of the insurance card that the negligent driver provides you. Also, obtain all of the witnesses names, addresses and phone numbers and a written summary from each witness documenting what they remember about how the accident happened and who was at fault for the accident.
Always contact the police and always insist that the police fill out an accident report and file the accident report as soon as possible.
It is extremely important that you document all of your innermost thoughts moments before the motor vehicle collision. You must document whether you saw the negligent driver’s vehicle before the motor vehicle collision and include all of your innermost thoughts, fears and anxieties. Also, it is important that you take some notes relating to the impact and what was happening to you inside your vehicle.
- Were you jerked forwards or backwards?
- Did any part of your body impact with any part of the inside of your car?
- Did you lose consciousness?
- What were your innermost thoughts, fears and anxieties when the impact occurred?
You need to document and take photographs if there was any redness or bruising on any part of your body and document every part of your body that hurt from the top of your head to bottom listing every part of your body that was injured as a result of the accident. Be descriptive about your injuries describing in detail what each injury felt like. For example, use descriptive words like my neck had a piercing sensation or my back had a constant aching sensation.
It is extremely important that you take photographs of the exterior and interior of all of the vehicles involved. Make sure you document and take photographs of any mechanical issues like leaking fluids or a smoking engine.
Make sure you take notes that details all of your discussions with the negligent driver and all eyewitnesses. It is critical that you document all admissions made by the negligent driver admitting fault for the accident and listing any unsafe behavior that caused the accident.
Document all of the unsafe things the negligent driver did that caused the crash. For example, list all of the safety rules that the negligent driver violated including as an example failure to yield at a traffic light, failure to assure a clear distance or failure to stop at a red light. Was the negligent driver distracted and not paying attention? Document everything when the negligent driver admits that they caused the accident or admits to doing anything unsafe that was a cause of the accident.
You need to request from the police agency copies of all photographs, video and audio recordings, dash cam, body cam, witness statements and field notes. Always look for any close businesses or residences with surveillance cameras that face the street or area where the crash occurred.
You must document all discussions with all public safety personnel at the scene, investigating officers, rescue personnel and first responders. Document all of your injuries, limitations and restrictions in detail describing what your injuries feel like and how they restrict your ability to do your day to day functions. Immediately obtain the medical care and treatment that you need. It is critical that you provide all of your treating doctors with a thorough history of all of the injuries that you sustained, all of your limitations and restrictions, and how the accident has impacted you.
