Making yourself safe after a car accident on Long Island is your first priority, and then you must carefully follow some straightforward but crucial steps to protect your legal interests and rights.
Key Takeaways
- The most immediate steps after a car accident are making yourself safe, reporting the accident, and documenting the scene.
- Seek medical attention even if you feel fine. Some injuries won’t present with immediate symptoms. Keep all records.
- Don’t talk to another driver’s insurance adjuster or accept a settlement offer. Contact a personal injury lawyer within the first 24 hours.
Make Yourself Safe
Before you worry about insurance or fault, secure the scene. If your vehicle is drivable, move it to the shoulder to avoid secondary crashes, especially on high-speed roads like the Long Island Expressway, Sunrise Highway, or Northern State Parkway.
Call 911 if you or anyone else on the scene requires first-responder assistance.
Should You Call the Police to Report the Accident?
Yes, call the police. The New York Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 605 requires that you call the police to report the accident if anyone is injured, or if property damage exceeds $1,000.
Don’t wait and guess about numbers and whether the call is necessary. Call the police to report the accident. This will trigger a Police Accident Report, which can be used as evidence later.
How to Document the Scene of the Accident
There is a golden window of opportunity to document the scene immediately after the accident. Once vehicles are driven or towed away, and the area is cleared, vital evidence can also disappear. Use your phone to document the crash while you wait for the police.
- Take photos and/or videos to capture vehicle damage from all angles. Record any road conditions, skid marks, traffic signs, intersection layouts, or other relevant details.
- Get the other driver’s name, address, driver’s license number, license plate, and insurance policy details.
- If there are bystanders or other drivers who stop to assist, ask for their names and phone numbers. Independent witness statements are invaluable if fault for the accident is disputed later.
Should You Seek Medical Attention After an Accident?
Yes, seek medical attention at a local urgent care clinic, emergency room, or with your primary care physician. Do this within 24 hours. Don’t assume that you are uninjured, even if you feel fine. The adrenaline of an accident can mask pain symptoms. Some serious conditions may have a delayed onset.
Prompt medical documentation can link injuries directly to the accident, and the details are crucial for claiming damages for serious injuries.
Notify Your Insurance Company
New York is a “No Fault” state, which means your own insurance is responsible for initial medical bills and a portion of lost wages.
- Notify your provider within the first 24-48 hours.
- You only have 30 days from the date of the accident to file a No-Fault application. Missing this deadline means a strict denial of your benefits.
Should You Speak to the Other Driver’s Insurance Company?
You should avoid giving statements and speaking to the other driver’s insurance company before you have spoken to a lawyer.
You will likely receive a call from the at-fault driver’s insurance adjuster shortly after the accident. Their job is to minimize financial exposure.
- Decline to provide any recorded statement. You are not obligated to provide a statement at this stage.
- Avoid speculation and don’t discuss your injuries or details of the accident. Do not apologize. Even the most harmless conversation with an adjuster can be used to devalue your claim.
Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer
The legal process surrounding a car accident on Long Island, or anywhere else in New York, is a maze of deadlines, documents, and aggressive insurance tactics. Before speaking to anybody external, accepting a settlement offer, or giving formal statements, talk to a personal injury lawyer on Long Island.
A lawyer can help explain your rights and obligations, send preservation letters to secure evidence, and shield you from predatory insurance adjustors.
The Raimondo Law Firm has over 30 years of experience and has recovered millions of dollars in damages for clients. You will appreciate the personalized and compassionate service.
Have you been injured in a car accident and need a free case review? We are available 24 hours, and we don’t charge fees unless we win. Call a personal injury lawyer today at (631) 471-1222.
