Gathering Information at Motor Vehicle Accident Scene

palm-beach-county-car-crash-lawyerAccording to a report by the U.S. Department of Transportation, in 2014, 2.3 million people were injured in motor vehicle crashes on U.S. roadways. As Florida motor vehicle accident attorneys with decades of experience handling car crashes, we want to inform consumers that there are steps they can take to protect themselves should an accident occur.

FindLaw.com provided three most important information items to gather at a crash site:

  1. Other vehicle information and driver’s personal information
    Make sure to collect the following while at the scene:

    1. Other driver personal information: Name, address and telephone number and driver’s license number of the driver. Also make sure to collect personal information of passengers.
    2. Vehicle information: Make, model, year, description of vehicle, registration data, license plate
    3. Insurance of driver: Name of carrier and policy #
  2. Accident information:
    Make sure to collect this information while at the scene:

    1. Accident date including day of the week and time of accident.
    2. Name of the road where accident occurred.
    3. Cross road or nearest intersection.
    4. Speed limit on the road where the accident occurred.
    5. Note any landmarks at or near accident site.
    6. Make sure to note: what direction you were travelling i.e. northbound, west etc. and what direction the other vehicle was travelling?
  3. Accident Scene Details:
    Make sure to note these while at the accident scene:

    1. What was the weather at the time of the accident?
    2. What was the visibility or lighting at the scene?
    3. Where there any road hazards or foreign bodies to note.
    4. What is the grade or incline of the road where the accident occurred?

Here are additional items to consider: (Tips are from our previous post about critical steps to take post accident.)

  • Be sure that you keep bills associated with the accident: Especially those from doctors, chiropractors and other treatment providers. Make sure to note the medications or treatments taken as a result of the accident.
  • Note pain and suffering related to the accident which affects your daily life. Be sure to describe how you are dealing with that since the accident.
  • Use caution in discussing the incident. You should only speak to your lawyer, police or insurance company about the accident. If contacted by the other insurance company, do not speak to them directly. Be polite and refer them to your insurance person or attorney.

If you were involved in a serious Florida auto accident, seek expert legal representation immediately. You may have legal recourse. For decades, Babbitt & Johnson P.A. has been helping clients with car accident representation. We seek compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, future losses, and, in the most egregious cases, punitive damages. Call Babbitt & Johnson P.A. at (561) 375-2841. We are dedicated to ensuring your rights are protected, and accept cases throughout the U.S.

Every case we accept is handled on a contingency basis, so you won’t be charged any attorney’s fees unless we win.

Sources:
US DOT report http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/812219.pdf
FindLaw auto accident info sheet: http://findlawimages.com/public/pdf/auto_accidents.pdf
Babbitt Johnson blog post: https://www.babbitt-johnson.com/blog/florida-auto-accident-attorneys-share-critical-post-accident-steps/