What Information Should I Exchange After an Auto Accident?

Car accidents are frightening and traumatic experiences. If the accident caused injuries, it may be difficult to take purposeful action while you or a loved one is hurt; however, taking the right steps after an accident helps to safeguard your physical and financial future. After a car accident, you or an uninjured companion should take specific steps for protection. One of the most important things to address after a car accident is exchanging critical information with the other driver if the accident involved another vehicle. Note that, if you are involved in a collision, reach out to our auto accident attorneys in South Jersey.

What Information Is Important to Exchange at the Scene of a Car Accident?

When another driver is involved in a car accident, it’s important to collect information that’s essential for investigating the accident and recovering compensation. After a car accident, add the following information to your cell phone:

• The full names of all involved drivers and any eyewitnesses to the accident
• Contact information, including phone numbers and addresses (email addresses are also helpful)
• Their driver license number
• The make, model, and year of their car, along with the license plate number
• The vehicle’s VIN number (typically located inside the door)
• The insurance company names and the policy numbers of all involved drivers
• Contact information for the insurance companies
• The contact information of eyewitnesses

Adding the names and contact information of eyewitnesses at an accident scene can be critical to a successful claim for damages like medical expenses, lost earnings, and compensation for pain and suffering, especially when accidents occur in places that lack traffic cameras.

What Other Steps Can I Take After a Car Accident?

Besides the exchange of contact and insurance information, there are additional steps to take after an auto accident that help a later compensation claim and ensure that you receive prompt emergency care. After an accident, a cell phone becomes an essential tool not only as a fast way to add contact information but also to do the following:

• First, call 911 to report the accident and request emergency services
• Then, use the phone’s camera to take photos of the involved cars in their resting positions before emergency services move them
• Take photos of the damaged vehicles
• Photograph the accident scene, including anything relevant, such as traffic signs, skid marks, or any road hazards that contributed to the accident
• Photograph any visible injuries
• Briefly record what you remember about the accident while it’s fresh in your mind (trauma sometimes fades the memory of a car accident later) 
• Avoid saying anything at the scene that could be construed as admitting fault

Always go to a hospital after a car accident, either in an ambulance or by arranging transportation as soon as the police clear you to leave the scene. At the hospital, ask for a full medical assessment in addition to care for your emergency injuries. This helps to catch potential injuries with delayed symptoms. Then, ask for a detailed medical report listing your injuries, the doctor’s recommendations for your treatment, and your prognosis for recovery.

Gathering Evidence After a Car Accident

After an accident, the information you’ve collected becomes critical evidence in a car accident claim for damages. When you hire a South Jersey personal injury attorney to represent you in a claim, the documented contact information, insurance information, and your medical report are essential aspects of the investigation.