If you've been in an Oregon car crash, and don't know what to do, let us help. Here's a simple list of Do's and Don'ts to guide you.
Your Oregon car crash might have left you feeling confused and overwhelmed, but our Portland personal injury practice has taught us a lot about what to do after an accident.
Here are some tips and guidelines that should help get you through this hard time, as well as protecting your rights should you decide to file a personal injury claim against that at-fault driver's insurance for your damages.
1. DON'T leave the accident scene until police advise you to do so (if police are present).
2. DO call 911 if someone has been injured.
3. DON'T move the injured person (wait for help to arrive).
4. DO turn on your hazard lights to warn other drivers about your location and emergency.
5. DON'T admit liability - you should not even apologize offhandedly.
6. DO get the other driver's insurance information, name, address, license, tag number, etc.
7. DON'T let witnesses leave without getting some contact information from them.
8. DO ask police for an incident number so you can get the police report later.
9. DON'T make any statements except to the police.
10. DO take notes about the accident, including weather, traffic signs, lighting, directions, road conditions, etc.
11. DON'T assume you are uninjured. See a medical professional to make sure there is nothing wrong.
12. DO tell your doctor about any pains, headaches, memory loss, nausea, etc. - any symptoms that might have been caused by your accident.
We hope, if you are ever in an accident, that you are not hurt. But if you are, following these guidelines can help make your personal injury claim a lot simpler - and cut down on investigation time.
