What to Do Immediately After a Car Accident in Charleston

A car accident can instantly upend your life. Instead of family vacations, you may face mounting medical bills you cannot afford. To recover compensation, you must take certain actions: seek medical attention, call the police, avoid admitting fault, gather evidence, organize medical records, and contact a car accident lawyer. Our Charleston lawyers detail these steps below.

Seek Medical Attention

Your health should take priority after a crash. If you or your passengers have suffered any injuries, even minor ones, call 911. Emergency medical personnel will be dispatched to assess your injuries and transport you and other individuals to the hospital. If you only sustained lacerations or contusions and are experiencing no signs of internal injury, seek medical attention anyway. In this case, you can visit an urgent care center. If you have no visible injuries, you should still schedule an appointment to be evaluated by your doctor. No matter what the circumstances, you should seek medical care within 72 hours to preserve your right to file a claim.

Call the Police

If there are injuries, fatalities, or over $1,000 in damage, South Carolina law requires you to call the police. The responding officer will gather information, interview witnesses, and document the accident, including weather and road conditions. The police report is crucial for your insurance claim.

Never Admit Fault

For those of us who are used to taking the blame to relieve tension, this may be a difficult rule to live by. However, admitting fault (even if you believe it is justly deserved) can prevent you from recovery. Avoid blurting out any statements such as “I am sorry, I didn’t see you coming” or “I know that I am entirely at fault here.” In reality, the other driver could have done something to contribute to the crash (of which you are unaware), meaning that they share partial responsibility.

Gather Evidence

If possible, gather the following evidence from the scene of the accident:

• Photographs of vehicle debris, your injuries, the final resting position of the vehicles, and any nearby cross-streets or identifying landmarks.
• Video footage: If there are any nearby businesses that have surveillance cameras or if any bystanders recorded the accident on their cellphones, this footage can help support your claim.
• Eyewitness testimony: If anyone saw the accident unfold, take down their names and contact information. Ask if they can provide a brief statement of what occurred. If the police are called, the officer will likely take down an eyewitness’s account of events.

Collect and Organize Medical Documentation

While gathering evidence from the accident scene can help to prove fault, you also want to have proof of your losses. Following a car accident, medical documentation may include X-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and other imaging, medical bills, and doctors’ notes. This evidence can demonstrate the severity of your injuries and how your injuries have impacted your finances. Be sure to keep any medical documents related to your injuries, organizing them by date of service and type (invoices, medical imaging/laboratory tests, discharge instructions, etc.).

Reach Out to a Car Accident Lawyer

An experienced car accident lawyer has unique strategies for advocating on your behalf with insurance companies, ensuring your case receives the attention it deserves. At The Law Office of Mark C. Tanenbaum, P.A., we leverage our in-depth understanding of personal injury evidence, the construction of compelling demand letters, and accurate calculation of non-economic damages to strengthen your claim. Our team is committed to making sure the responsible party fully compensates you for your physical, emotional, and financial damages.

Injured? Our Charleston Car Accident Attorneys are Here to Help

If you or a family member has been injured in a collision, you likely have experienced lost wages, medical bills, the expense of vehicle repairs, as well as physical and emotional losses. At The Law Office of Mark C. Tanenbaum, P.A., our Charleston car accident lawyers are dedicated to assisting injured parties. We believe that you should not pay a cent out of pocket for someone else’s wrongdoing. To discover the true value of your accident case, contact our office online or call (843) 577-5100.