Following a sideswipe accident, you should take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of yourself and your passengers and seek medical attention as soon as possible. It is important to ensure you gather information and document the accident in a way that accurately shows evidence of what happened so that your legal rights can be protected. A sideswipe accident attorney will use this information to ensure you receive the most compensation possible to cover medical expenses and other damages.
Inspect Yourself and Passengers Involved for Injuries
If you are seriously hurt in a sideswipe collision, try not to move. It is best to wait for emergency services to arrive and evaluate your situation. The same is true for any passengers or loved ones who may be in the vehicle with you.
Ensure You are Safe from Oncoming Traffic
If you are able to move your vehicle, you should proceed to the shoulder, safe from oncoming traffic. Since sideswipes frequently happen on highways, this is especially important to avoid other vehicles moving at high speeds.
Seek Medical Attention
Dial 911 and wait for emergency services to arrive. If the police arrive on the scene, they will conduct an initial investigation that you can obtain at a later date (the availability of the report will vary based on which state the accident happened in).
If emergency services provide you with the option of taking you or your passengers to the hospital, you should highly consider this option, especially if you are in pain or have noticeable injuries. If you are not experiencing initial pain, taking an ambulance can ensure you are cared for immediately and receive the treatment you need. If your vitals are critical, or if you sustained severe injuries, you may not be given an option, and emergency personnel will get you the immediate help you need. This is not the time to be worried about medical bills – your health needs to be prioritized.
If you decide not to make use of an ambulance or emergency services, you should still visit your doctor, local hospital, or clinic as soon as you can following the accident. Accident victims sometimes make the mistake of waiting too long to be medically evaluated or do not get looked at by a qualified physician at all, which can harm their chances of a full recovery, as well as make a personal injury case more difficult when needing to prove the injuries they suffered (or are suffering) are a direct result of the sideswipe collision.
Exchange Information with the Other Driver
If you are able, obtain information from the driver of the vehicle that hit you. The most important information to gather is:
- Full name and contact information of the other driver
- Insurance policy and policy number (if the driver is uninsured, it is important to understand this as well)
- Driver’s license and license plate number
- Type, color and model of their vehicle
When speaking to the other driver or the police, it is important that you do not discuss fault. Since accidents occur unexpectedly and those involved are often in shock, it is easy to mistakenly admit fault without considering the legal consequences these types of statements have and how any statements may affect your claim. As a car accident victim, it is important to understand that a combination of the insurance company claims, the collision report, photographs of the scene, witness statements, and, if needed, investigations by your personal injury attorney will determine fault in a sideswipe car accident and who is liable for any injuries or other damages that may have occurred.
Gather Evidence to Document the Accident
Documenting the scene of the accident is important for several reasons. Following an auto accident, victims may have challenges remembering specific details. While a lawyer can help in many ways, having the most evidence possible can strengthen your case and help your accident attorney recover compensation for you, especially concerning sideswipe accidents where fault may be initially unknown or questioned.
Photograph the Scene in a Way that Shows What Happened
Photographs are some of the most important pieces of evidence your attorney can have following a sideswipe accident. Some of the most essential pictures to take include:
- The position of each of the vehicles following the crash before they are moved. Take photos from all corners and angles so you can see all four sides.
- Any impressions left on the road. These can include skid marks or other indications of what occurred prior to and after the collision took place with another vehicle.
- Exterior or interior damage to the vehicles involved. Photos of where specific damage took place following sideswipe accidents help to indicate how the accident happened and can help your law firm prove your case to the insurance companies.
- Conditions of the road, lane markers, traffic signals and signs, and where the accident happened in relation to these elements. Sideswipe accidents and injuries that follow occur in many cases due to one vehicle not paying attention during a lane change or when merging. Having good pictures of the road and lane markers can help determine fault and support your claim.
- Indications of any lane closures or construction that may have contributed to the crash.
- Any visible injuries that you or your passengers sustained in the crash. In addition to medical records, having photos of injuries directly following the wreck can help document things such as bruising, lacerations, or other injuries that may not be as noticeable days or weeks following the accident.
- Photos of the license tags, ID numbers, and unique markings of autos/vehicles of witnesses. A photo of the witness’s license plate may prove helpful if you or the police are unable to speak with them at the scene.
- Take all remaining shots of items you feel will help show how the sideswipe accident happened.
You Should Also Note and Retain:
- Time of day the accident happened.
Weather conditions.
- Speed you were traveling and the posted speed limit.
- Any witnesses and their contact information, including phone number, mailing address, and email address.
- Any clothing and personal objects that were damaged in the wreck. Don’t discard the evidence.
- Any other relevant details that may help you and your attorney prove fault.
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer
Don’t let the insurance company come to its own conclusion regarding the cause of a sideswipe collision. Obtain all the photos you can of the scene if you are able and note any details that may be helpful. They will serve as evidence and can often prove fault when seeking compensation for injuries, hospital bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, or damages to your vehicle. In many cases, photos and other details can be the most valuable tool for you and your car accident lawyer when fighting insurance companies that do not want to fully compensate you for your injuries or other damages.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to someone else’s negligence, contact us today for a free case evaluation: 800-800-4600.
