More than six million car accidents happen every year nationwide. Thankfully, many of these involve only damage to vehicles or property – as opposed to injuries to the people in and around the vehicles. However, a third of car accidents do result in an injury to the driver or passengers, and 20% of those accidents involve fatalities. If you are involved in a car accident in Cincinnati, Ohio, you should take immediate steps to ensure that your rights and the evidence in your case are preserved, if you are able. To that end, the Cincinnati, OH car accident attorneys here at Ohio Car Accident Lawyers have compiled the following list of steps to be taken after a car accident in Cincinnati, Ohio.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Ohio
- Remain at the scene, and ensure everyone is safe. Never drive away from the scene of an accident, even a minor one, if there is any damage at all. Instead, check to see if anyone is injured and if you are able to do so safely, move the vehicles out of the road.
- Call emergency services. Even if no one is injured, it is important to call 911 and report the car accident in Cincinnati, Ohio. Police and medical services, if necessary, will respond to the scene, and the police will investigate the accident. They will take statements from yourself and any witnesses, and compile a police report which you will be able to get a copy of within several days, in most cases.
There are steps you can take after a car accident to make sure you can seek compensation. The Ohio Car Accident Lawyers can help.
- Take photos of everything. If you are able, use your cell phone or other camera to take pictures of the damage, the vehicles, the scene of the car accident in Cincinnati, Ohio, and any injuries you may have. However, while you are free to document the scene, you should not interfere with the police’s own investigation. If you are not able to get photos while at the scene, take as many as you can as soon as possible after the car accident in Cincinnati, OH.
- Exchange contact and insurance information. Usually, the police officers investigating the Cincinnati car accident will obtain this information, but it is always a good idea for you to get as much information from the other driver as you can. In addition to name, address, and insurance information, you should get the driver’s license number, telephone number, and the vehicle’s license plate number. Of course, after the car accident in Cincinnati, Ohio, you should provide this same information to the other driver as well. If there are additional witnesses to the accident, get contact information from them as well, so that your car accident attorney in Cincinnati can contact them in the future. Finally, make sure you get the report number from the investigating officer. This number can be used to obtain the accident report later.
- Get Medical Attention. Injuries sustained aren’t always apparent immediately after a car accident in Cincinnati, Ohio. Many of our clients report that they had no pain, or very little pain, until a day or so following the accident. Unless you are positive that you are not injured, it is a good idea to seek medical attention after a car accident in Cincinnati. This ensures that, if you are injured, the insurance company cannot try to suggest that the injury was not caused by the accident, in addition to getting early and prompt treatment for injuries you may not realize that you have, potentially saving yourself a great deal of pain and recovery time.
- Ensure that your rights are protected by contacting a car accident attorney in Cincinnati, Ohio. Perhaps the most important step to take after a car accident is to consult a lawyer. An experienced car accident attorney in Cincinnati can help to ensure that your rights are protected and that the evidence relating to your case is properly preserved. In many cases, insurance companies will want detailed statements immediately following an accident. While you should report the accident to your insurance company, it is not advised to provide a statement to any insurance company, including your own, before consulting with a car accident attorney in Cincinnati. Your attorney will be able to offer the best advice as to recovering the maximum possible compensation for your car accident case.
Consult with an Ohio Car Wreck Attorney About Your Case
If you have been involved in a car accident near Cincinnati, don’t delay. Contact the Ohio Car Accident Lawyers today and let our experienced car accident lawyers go to work for you.
