What you should know:

Car accidents impose devastating effects on individuals and families. You may be a safe driver, but that won’t always protect you from dangers on the road. Every year, far too many victims’ lives are irreversibly changed by other drivers in serious car wrecks. The United States witnesses more car fatalities than any other high-income country. Motor vehicle crashes resulted in $19.349 billion in economic losses to Arizona in 2018, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT).

DO

• Document as much detailed information as you can at the accident site. Use your phone to record voice memos of any statements made by the other driver. Take down the other driver’s name, address, license number, and insurance information. Gather the names of officers on the scene for their reports, names of EMT/ambulance personnel, and contact information for witnesses to confirm what truly happened. Take down descriptions of the road, traffic, and weather conditions.
• Take photos/videos (up-close and at a distance) of the vehicles involved in the accident and of the scene/surrounding area/traffic signs. Take photos/videos of viewable injuries.
• Contact a personal injury lawyer. It is very important that you have an experienced attorney handle all paperwork and conversations with the other driver’s insurance company, as they will use several tactics against you.

DON’T

• Ever admit fault. A proper investigation of the accident will need to be done. Your car crash lawyer will fight to prove that the fault lies on the other driver and their insurance company.
• Waive your right to seek immediate medical attention. After experiencing a car crash, your body’s adrenaline is rushing and it dulls the pain so you may not notice your injuries at first. Keep in mind that the whiplash motion caused by a car accident can produce injuries that become more pronounced as time goes on. Seek medical attention as soon as possible after the incident. The longer you wait, the more likely the insurance company will claim that the injury is unrelated to the accident.
• Give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company or sign anything from the other driver’s insurance company. You may run the risk of unknowingly releasing your medical records, that is why it is important to have an experienced car accident attorney deal with the insurance company for you.