When You Get Into An Accident But Fail To Get The Other Driver's Info: What To Do Next

Law Blog

The general procedure in any car accident, no matter how minor, is to get the other person's information, including insurance and the license plates. If, for whatever reason, the other driver talks you out of contacting the police and/or exchanging information, you may find that you have some problems after the fact. If that has happened to you, here is what you should do next.

Hire a Car Accident Attorney

The car accident attorney may be able to get a hold of accident documentation that you cannot. For example, if your accident took place in a parking lot, your lawyer may be able to get the video footage from the nearest security camera. Some of the biggest big box stores have cameras up all over their parking lot light posts. This footage is generally saved for several days, even up to a month. If there is footage of your accident, then you can get the make, model and license plate numbers from what you and your lawyer see on screen. 

Write Down Everything You Can Remember

Everything you can remember about the other driver and his/her car you should write down on paper.  Even if it is a week after the accident, and you are just realizing that you should have called the police at the scene anyway, you can still involve the police. Take what you remember to the police and file a report. You will need this for court, and the police can begin a search for the person and vehicle that caused your accident. If you find that you have some injuries that are just now surfacing (some car accident injuries are delayed, such as closed-head traumas), you definitely need to file a police report before you can pursue a case for damages.

See a Doctor

As previously mentioned, some injuries that you cannot see can manifest a few days after your accident. Some may even manifest much later, such as herniated discs in your back that were not there prior to the accident.  Ask for a thorough exam, including a pet scan or MRI and a CT scan, in case you have internal injuries or internal bleeding. All of this documentation, including the treatments you receive or surgeries you need, will be necessary to prove that you sustained more than just a bent fender. Be sure to give copies of everything to your lawyer so that he/she can build your case.

Contact professionals such as Loughlin Fitzgerald P C for more information.

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7 December 2016