What to Do After a Ventura Car Accident

I’m Ed Smith, a Ventura car accident lawyer. Being in an accident is a traumatic experience for most. Common sense actions such as not drinking and driving, turning off your cell phone in the car or staying within the speed limit are practical ways to improve your odds. However, accidents do happen, and being in the know on what steps to take immediately following an accident can help.

Prepare in Advance

Start by placing a small notebook and pencil or pen in the glove compartment in case you need it. Keeping a list of the steps that need to be taken immediately following an accident can help remind a driver about the things that need to be covered and in what order.

Check for Injuries

Check for injuries, starting with those in your own vehicle. If you are uninjured, check the occupants of the other vehicles. If there are injuries, call 911 for medical help and for police assistance. Reporting a car accident in California is required if there are any injuries, deaths or damage is $1,000 or more. In addition, police will file a report on the accident, so ask responding officers for badge numbers and names to jot down in your notebook.

Gather Information and Get a Medical Evaluation

Remember to get the license plate number, license numbers, insurance info and contact info from the other driver. You will also want to get names, addresses and numbers from passengers and any witnesses of the crash if you are able. Even if you believe you are not injured, you may want to give your attorney a quick call, so he or she can handle the accident, and tell you what to do in more detail. Your attorney will undoubtedly advise you to head to the hospital and get checked out, even if you have no apparent injuries. The shock of an accident and adrenaline that pumps through your body at the time can mask injuries that may appear later.

Take Photos

When possible, take photos of the scene including position of the vehicles, damage to them and any other signs of the accident such as skid marks. If police arrive, this information will be in the police report.

Ventura Car Accident Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Ventura car accident lawyer. If you have experienced an injury or suffered a wrongful death in your family, please phone me at (805) 372-0200 or (800) 404-5400. My advice is free and friendly with compassion and concern for your situation. I’m here to help.

These websites offer client reviews: Google, Avvo and Yelp. Past Settlements and Verdicts gives you more details into my practice, while this link, Million Dollar Advocates Forum, shows me as a longtime member with $1 million and more in settlements and verdicts for former clients.

As owner of www.caraccident.com, I’ve practiced as a California personal injury lawyer for over 35 years.
Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/crash-car-car-crash-accident-1308575/

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What to Do After a Ventura Car Accident