What Do I Have to Do After a California Accident?

by | Feb 25, 2019 | Auto Accidents

Unfortunately, driving on the highways of California can be a beautiful but also risky proposition.

There’s always the possibility of being involved in a vehicle accident and trying to navigate the insurance and legal complexities after the fact can be confusing. If you are involved in an accident, the most important thing to do is stop immediately and only move if it is safe to do so.

If anyone involved in the accident has injuries, contact 911 and the police. Get the telephone numbers, names, driver’s license numbers and addresses of every driver involved as well as their vehicle identification numbers and license plates. In the event that the owner of any damaged property or a damaged vehicle cannot be located, leave a note with the names and contact information of all involved cars.

Car Accident Damages

In the event that the vehicle damage is beyond $750 or anyone involved in the accident is seriously injured, the incident must be reported to the Department of Motor Vehicles no later than 10 days. Suspension of your driver’s license could apply if you do not notify the DMV.

After you have filed an insurance claim with the accident, your insurance company will contact you to get details about the loss and may take a recorded or written statement. It is imperative that you have an experienced personal injury lawyer to help you during this time as the insurance company is not always looking out for your best interests.

Car Accident Insurance Claims

Before you sign anything or agree to anything with the insurance company, you need the support of your own personal injury lawyer to help you. If you have an uninsured motorist claim or medical payments, you must be prepared to provide documentation of your loss, such as lost wages, injuries, medical expenses, and more.

As part of the insurance company’s investigation, other witnesses and drivers might be contacted. If you are the other witnesses and drivers involved, you’ll also need your own personal injury representation to help you. The experienced and knowledgeable lawyers at Idiart Law are here to help California vehicle accident victims recover and move on with their life.