News

July 25th, 2012

What should I do if I’m in an automobile accident?

The majority of drivers are involved in an automobile accident at some point in their life. In fact, there are millions of traffic accidents reported to police every year. There were over 200,000 persons injured in Texas motor vehicle crashes in 2011, over 3,000 Texas traffic fatalities in 2011, and there was not a single day in Texas where a person did not die from a traffic accident.[1] This means a reported crash occurred on Texas roads every 83 seconds and a person was injured every 2 minutes and 29 seconds.

To help prepare yourself for any accident that may occur, you need to put an “emergency kit” with pen, paper and first-aid supplies in your car. After a collision occurs, you need to remember some basic steps:

• Move yourself and any other persons safely out of the way of other traffic.
• Call for medical attention if anyone is hurt.
• Call the police and cooperate with them once they arrive. However, never admit fault because you may not have all of the available information.
• Take photographs or video of the crash scene and damage to vehicles.
• Write down details of how the crash occurred and get names of witnesses. The information you should obtain includes the following:
  • Names and contact information of all other drivers involved
  • Names and contact information of witnesses
  • Insurance information of other drivers involved
  • Driver’s license numbers of other drivers involved
  • Vehicle make, model, license plate numbers and VIN numbers of the vehicles involved
  • General information about the conditions and circumstances in which the accident occurred
• Contact attorney Scott J. Scherr at 1-855-TX-One-Call or www.TXOneCall.com if the crash involved injuries or substantial damages.

When death, injury or major property damage is involved, dealing with an insurance company without the assistance of an experienced attorney is risky.

An insurance adjuster may contact you and offer a quick settlement. Remember not to sign any document until you have consulted with your attorney. If you sign an agreement, you can forfeit your right to be compensated for damages and injuries that are discovered later.

Since 1949, The Payne Law Group has represented clients in serious injury, wrongful death and complex business litigation matters. We have been involved in numerous multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements in personal injury and business litigation cases. We will work hard to get the compensation you deserve. Your initial consultation in a personal injury or wrongful death case is always free at The Payne Law Group, just remember One Call, That’s All. You can contact us at 979-776-9800 or 1-855-One-Call or online HERE.

[1] http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/trf/crash_statistics/2011/01_2011.pdf