What Should I Do?

Every so often we get the same type of call. Someone was just in an accident, and the first person they call is Marcotte Law Firm. They know that we are car accident lawyers, so they call us because they don’t know what to do. Obviously the first thing to do probably isn’t to call your lawyer. No matter whose fault a car collision was, the most important thing is making sure no one is seriously injured. So, there are two things you should be doing right away, almost simultaneously: you check on everyone to make sure they’re okay, and you should call 911.

This happens more often than you would think. If you’re in a relatively minor car accident, sometimes both drivers want to just exchange their information and go on with their days. This is especially true if it’s obvious whose fault the accident is and there seem to be no injuries. However, there is always the chance that the person who was in the collision with you isn’t being honest with you and their insurance company. If the other driver changes his/her story, it’ll be your word against theirs.

That’s why we always recommend that you call the police, even if there seem to be no injuries. The officer will respond, inspect the scene, and write a report about what happened. While police officers are human and sometimes make mistakes, it’s always better to have a police report memorializing what happened.

People in a car accident are often on the fence to get into an ambulance. There are a lot of variables with that decision. Some people worry about who will pay the medical bill. Others worry about what will happen to their car. Still more have countless other reasons to not go, ranging from fears of claustrophobia to having to go in another ambulance with a more-injured loved one.

Since everyone’s situation is different, there’s no easy answer. However, there are two things that are clear:

• First, you should not worry about who is going to pay the ambulance bill. Most everyone is covered by no-fault insurance called Personal Injury Protection benefits. That will usually cover the cost of an ambulance ride.
• Second, whether you took an ambulance to the hospital is not going to make or break any personal injury case you may have. There are people who take an ambulance to the hospital, but end up being fine a few days later. There are also people who don’t take an ambulance, but end up being seriously injured for the rest of their lives. So, use your best judgment.

Yes, taking pictures of a car accident scene is one of the most important things to do. Now that everyone has a camera-phone, it should be easy to snap a few pictures. While you don’t want this to be a 15 minute photo shoot, there are a few things that are important to have proof of:

• Damage to Your Car;
• Damage to Other Cars (including a license plate); and
• Drivers License & Registration of All Cars Involved

By taking pictures, you’ll have some proof in case the other driver changes his story. You’ll also have a way to show how bad the damage to the car was should an insurance company or jury question your injuries.

At Marcotte Law Firm, we’ve handled thousands of car accident cases. We know the ins-and-outs. Every car accident is different, but we’ve most likely dealt with your situation. If you have any questions, please call us at (978) 458-1229 or contact us here.