What to do After a Car Accident in Oklahoma
Recommendations from the experienced injury lawyers of Cunningham & Mears
At Cunningham & Mears, our accident attorneys understand how traumatic an auto accident is for everyone involved. Not only is the accident itself shocking, but the aftermath is often extremely confusing. Our accident lawyers are dedicated to helping you understand your rights and responsibilities after a car accident to make your recovery easier.
Actions to take after a car crash
- Seek immediate medical attention. Seek immediate medical attention for yourself and any passengers, drivers or pedestrians who may be injured. Even if you do not feel your injuries at first, contact a doctor to discuss possible latent brain injury, back injury or other traumatic injuries.
- Call the police. Dial 911 for police and ambulance assistance. The police take your statement as well as the statement of other drivers and any witnesses. They also record details of the accident scene and ensure the area is safe.
- Take photos. If you have a phone with a camera or video recorder, take photos or video of the aftermath of the accident, including injuries, damages to your vehicle and other evidence such as road conditions, signs or signals or skid marks. Photos, video and even diagrams are valuable evidence when dealing with insurance companies and at trial to recover compensation for your injuries.
- Gather evidence. If another driver admits fault, try to get the person to write a note admitting to it and take a photo of the note. Many at-fault drivers initially admit fault but later change their minds, so having strong evidence is important to your case. Also look for any impartial witnesses that can help prove fault of another person.
- Talk to an attorney immediately. Before discussing an accident with an insurance company or anyone else, it is important to speak with an experienced attorney as soon as possible to protect your rights and interests.
Actions to avoid after an auto accident
- Do not admit fault. You should talk to an experienced car accident lawyer before talking to anyone, including drivers, witnesses and insurance adjusters. Do not admit fault without learning about your rights under the law.
- Avoid social media. Facebook, twitter, blogs and all other social media can be used as evidence against you. Do not post anything online without first talking to an attorney. This includes photos of physical activities that are unrelated to the accident. For example, even a photo of you lifting your child can be used to show that you were not injured as claimed.
Additional steps to take after a car accident
Once you have attended to your own medical needs and made sure that the other people involved in the accident are OK, there are few more things that you must remember to do. You need to document as much of the accident scene as you possibly can, given your physical condition. Take as many pictures of the accident scene, the people around and the intersection or location where the car crash took place. Once the police arrive, get their names and badge numbers and confirm where you can get a copy of the police report for the accident. Exchange contact information with the other driver(s) involved. Make sure to get each driver's:
- Name and contact information
- The name of their insurance company and policy number
- Copy their license plate number
- Driver's license number
- The model, type and color of each vehicle involved
- Location of the crash
How an Oklahoma car accident injury attorney can help
If you sustained serious injuries in the crash, you might be considering taking legal action against the driver whose negligence caused the accident. An experienced Oklahoma car accident lawyer from Cunningham & Mears is here to protect your right to recover fair compensation for your injuries in a car wreck. We pursue damages for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other losses related to the accident.
You do not have to worry about being able to afford to pay for a lawyer because we take cases on contingency. You do not pay lawyer’s fees until we recover compensation for you.
Contact an experienced auto accident attorney in Oklahoma immediately
If you were injured in a car accident or other accident caused by the negligence of another party, contact a qualified attorney immediately to protect your rights and obtain compensation for your injuries. To learn more about our successful recoveries and personalized service, contact Cunningham & Mears or call 405-232-1212 any time to schedule a free initial consultation at our office in Oklahoma City. If you are too injured to come to us, we can come to you.