What to Do In Case of an Accident

1. Stop at once. If you are impeding traffic and able to move your vehicle safely, you should move it as soon as it is reasonable to do so to a safe location. If you are in a parking lot or on a side street you should not move.

2. Report the accident to the police and call for medical assistance. Be sure to provide the exact location address or milepost on a freeway. Wait for the police. Arizona police will prepare and provide an accident exchange statement.

3. If you are not creating any danger for any person or thing, take photographs of the incident. These include both cars with close-ups of any damages and a close-up of the other vehicle’s license plate, traffic conditions, anything unusual about the scene, and general photos of the scene. If there are any witnesses who are still there take their names, addresses, and telephone numbers and photograph their cars with the license plates in a clear view. Write down the make and model of each car involved in the accident.

4. Obtain the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of any injured persons and the owners of any damaged property.

5. Contact the other driver(s) and get their name(s), address(es), and telephone numbers. If they don’t own the vehicle(s) get the same information about the owner(s).

6. Get the name of the insurance company for every driver and get the policy numbers if they are willing to provide them. The police accident report will include this information.

7. DO NOT admit fault to anyone, including the police. Only provide your name, address, and telephone number to the other people involved. Do not discuss the accident with anyone except a police officer and your insurance claim representative. Only explain the FACTS to the officer(s). You have enough time before the officer(s) arrive to think about exactly what you saw and heard. Do not speculate. Anything you say to anyone that is not accurate may hurt you in the long run.

8. Insurance companies make money by paying the least possible for claims. An experienced attorney will know what to do to protect you and get the best possible recovery. Insurance claims adjusters will assume that you are not sophisticated enough to represent yourself and they will use that against you.