First Steps After a Car Accident

If you have been injured in a car accident in the Houston area due to someone else’s negligence, you are probably wondering if you can receive compensation for your injuries. Here are the first steps after a car accident that you should take. Contact our experienced personal injury lawyers today for a free consultation.

First Steps After a Car Accident | Do Not Leave the Scene

Even if you have been fortunate enough to avoid a motor vehicle collision in Texas, it never hurts to be prepared for such a life-changing event. After all, in the first few moments after a collision, there is not enough time to call a Houston car accident lawyer or a police officer for guidance. Whether you are responsible for the auto accident or not, you must not leave the scene until you have spoken with law enforcement and received permission to go. Instead, your highest priority is to first get yourself (and, if possible, any other parties who have not been seriously injured) to safety. Be sure to pay attention to such hazards as leaking gas, sudden fires, and oncoming traffic as you move to a safe distance from the accident—again, without leaving the scene.

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First Steps After a Car Accident | Call 911 Immediately

If you have not sustained serious injuries, once you are safe, you should call 911 immediately in order to report the accident to the Houston Police Department and request an ambulance. If you worry that you have been seriously injured, ask anyone nearby to call law enforcement on your behalf. Do not try to move anyone who has been seriously injured, and do not try to move yourself if you are in significant pain. If you do so, you run the risk of worsening an injury before an emergency medical technician can begin to treat it.

First Steps After a Car Accident | Compile Evidence

You can begin to take stock of the car accident even before the police and an ambulance have arrived. You are compelled by law, of course, to exchange information with all other parties involved in the car accident, and you should be ready to provide your name, address, licence plate number, and insurance information upon request. Take as many photos of the scene of the accident as you can, and be sure to collect accounts from witnesses; once you reach out to a Houston car accident lawyer, you will need to use this information in any claims you make and lawsuits you file.

If you are seeking compensation from your auto accident, please contact our experienced Houston car accident lawyer today to schedule a free consultation.