It only takes a matter of seconds for a car accident to completely derail one’s life. A moment of inattention or an errant decision can result in a serious and life-threatening accident, leaving the parties involved scrambling to figure out what to do next.
The Hernandez Law Group, P.C. is Dallas’s trusted car accident attorneys. Since our founding in 1999, we have been faithfully serving our community and guiding individuals injured in an accident through the legal red tape to get the compensation they deserve. We believe strongly in educating our community, empowering them to make the most out of their situation and giving them the greatest chance of a successful recovery. If you are unsure what you should do after a car accident in Dallas, Texas, to protect yourself legally and ensure that you get the medical attention you need, this carefully crafted guide is for you. Here are the steps you need to take after a Dallas car accident.
Immediate Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Dallas
A lot of emotions flood your system at once after an accident. Familiarizing yourself with these steps to take immediately after an accident can help ensure that you and anyone else involved receive the medical attention needed and prevent further damage. Additionally, these steps can also set you up for a successful claim, ensuring that you get the compensation you deserve.
- Keep Yourself and Any Other Involved Parties Safe: Safety is always the primary concern after an accident. Check yourself and any passengers for injuries; if anyone is injured, do not move them and contact 911 immediately. If you are able, move your vehicle to a safe location outside of traffic. Make sure to turn on your hazards to alert other drivers of the danger.
- Contact the Police and Make a Police Report: Every accident needs to be reported to the police, no matter how minor it seems. A police accident report is crucial for insurance and legal claims. As you are talking with the police, stick only to the facts that you know for sure happened and avoid making any guesses. Adding in information you are unsure of can hurt your chances of a successful claim.
- Dallas Police Department Non-Emergency Line for Minor Accidents: (214)744-4444
- For emergencies, always dial 911
- Collect the Contact Information of Other Drivers Involved: This information includes the following:
- Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- Insurance Information
- License Plate Number
- Gather the Names and Contact Information of Any Witnesses: You will want to have this information on hand so that your car accident attorney can follow up with them and get a clear picture of what happened.
- Take Pictures of the Car Accident Scene: You will want to take pictures of the following:
- Where the accident took place
- Damage to the vehicles
- Any injuries you or your passengers sustained
- Any debris on the road
- Seek Medical Attention: Even if you feel like you came out of the accident unscathed, you will still want to be checked out by a medical professional. Some injuries can be masked by the adrenaline coursing through your body. Getting looked over will ensure that any hidden injuries are treated properly and keep a clear paper trail of all injuries resulting from the accident and the proposed treatment plan/cost.
- Contact a Dallas Car Accident Attorney: One of the most important steps you can take is to partner with a trusted Dallas car accident attorney. The Hernandez Law Group, P.C., works alongside our clients to ensure that they are being set up for a successful recovery and are not going to be lowballed by the insurance companies. We help victims:
- Handle insurance companies’ negotiations
- Investigate fault and liability
- Aid you in recovering the compensation for medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering
When to Call Police After a Collision
No matter how minor the accident seems, you always need to contact the police. Contacting the police ensures that an official report can be made of the accident, which is crucial for insurance claims and aids in establishing fault for the accident.
If the accident is minor, you can always contact the non-emergency services for the police department to report the accident. This number is (214)744-4444.
For serious accidents, you will want to contact 911. These accidents are any that meet the following criteria:
- There was an injury or death caused by the accident
- There was property damage exceeding $1,000 or damage to public property
- Vehicles cannot be moved safely from the scene
- The accident was a hit-and-run
- You believe that the other driver/drivers involved are intoxicated
Gathering Evidence at the Scene: Dallas Roads, Intersections & Witnesses
Gathering evidence after an accident is crucial to building a solid case for compensation. Some evidence will need to be collected immediately after the accident, such as photos of the accident site and the contact information of any witnesses. Then other pieces of evidence can be gathered by your car accident attorney during the investigation process of your claim. Here is a breakdown of the evidence that needs to be gathered.
Evidence That Can Be Gathered After the Accident (If It Is Safe to Do So)
- Photos/Videos of the Accident Site: You can use your phone to gather pictures of the accident scene, nearby traffic lights, and street signs. You will also want to get images of the damage to the vehicles, license plates, skid marks on the road, debris, and any paint transfer.
- Make Notes of the Following:
- Date
- Time of the accident
- Exact location of the accident
- Weather conditions
- Road conditions
- Get Information From the Other Driver/Drivers Involved:
- Name
- License information
- Contact information
- Insurance company and policy number
- Gather Witness Information
- Name
- Number
- Brief statement from the witnesses
Key Evidence After the Accident:
- Police Report: This is essential for insurance and legal claims
- Medical Records: Keeps a paper trail of your injuries and treatment plans
- Vehicle/Property Damage Records: This can be receipts or estimates from a mechanic
- Camera Evidence: Note nearby traffic cams, security cameras, or any dash cams that might have recorded the accident.
Seeking Medical Attention in Dallas: ERs, Clinics & Injury Documentation
Your health should be your number one concern after a car accident. Make sure you see a doctor, whether that is your PCP or an Emergency Room doctor, within 24 hours of your accident. This will ensure that any hidden injuries are caught and treated before they get any worse. Additionally, it also ensures that there is a paper trail documenting your injuries. If you lack health insurance, you can always use providers that provide medical liens, which will allow you to seek treatment now and pay later when you have received your settlement.
Reporting a Car Accident in Dallas: Deadlines & Legal Requirements
Texas laws require individuals involved in a collision to call the police and file a police report immediately after an accident that results in the injury, death, or damage to vehicles that make it impossible for them to operate safely. This law applies regardless of whether a driver was responsible for the accident or not.
While minor accidents do not legally need to be reported, it is best to do so regardless. This is because an official police report aids in the insurance claim and legal claim process to get compensation.
What Happens If I Don’t File a Police Report?
If an individual fails to file a police report after an accident, and that accident resulted in injury, death, or significant property damage, then it is considered a misdemeanor. Additionally, choosing not to report an accident can negatively impact your ability to seek compensation for damages and injuries. Without an official record of the incident showing which party was determined officially at fault and the extent of the damage, the insurance companies can dispute the claim or claim that you are exaggerating. Protect your rights by always filing a police report after an accident, regardless of how minor the accident seems.
Why Dallas Drivers Should Contact a Local Car Accident Attorney
It’s best to contact a trusted local car accident attorney, such as the lawyers at the Hernandez Law Group, P.C., because insurers will try to lowball your compensation. They do this by trying to trip up your words to get you to admit that the accident and your injuries were not as bad as you initially thought. However, a knowledgeable car accident attorney will not allow the insurance company to bully you and will gather the necessary evidence to show what happened and the extent of the damages.
Other reasons to hire a Dallas car accident attorney are as follows:
- Combat Insurance Tactics: Insurers aim to pay as little as possible after your accident. A car accident attorney will protect you from being bullied into taking a settlement that is less than you deserve.
- Maximize Compensation: The attorneys at the Hernandez Law Group, P.C. understand the full value of your claim. This includes costs for future medical expenses, lost income, and pain and suffering.
- Handle the Investigation & Evidence: Our attorneys will quickly secure evidence, interview witnesses, and investigate the scene before it’s lost. This is vital for proving fault in Texas’s fault-based system.
- Manage All Legal Burden: Our lawyers will handle all communication with insurance adjusters, file the paperwork, negotiate, and even take your case to trial if needed. This allows you to focus on your recovery.
How Hernandez Law Group Helps Dallas Car Accident Victims
The Hernandez Law Group, P.C. is dedicated to serving our clients with everything we have. We help determine which party is liable for your injuries, what kind of insurance claims to file, and what damages you may be eligible to claim compensation for.
We handle the insurance companies for you, so that they will not bully you into accepting a settlement that is less than what you deserve. If you’ve been in a car accident, you will want to contact the dedicated team at the Hernandez Law Group, P.C. Juan Hernandez is one of the small percentage of lawyers in Texas who are board-certified in personal injury law. You can trust our experience to help you win your case. Contact us today for more information or to schedule a free no-obligation consultation.
FAQs:
These are the steps you should take immediately after an accident:
– Check yourself and others involved in the accident for injuries
– Move your vehicle and yourself to safety is you are able to do so
– Call the police
– Exchange information with the other drivers involved
– Name
– Number
– Address
– Insurance company and policy number
– Take pictures of the damage, injuries, and the scene of the accident
– Seek out medical attention
– Contact a car accident attorney
For accidents that caused injury, death, or significant property damage, you will need to contact the police immediately after the accident. For minor accidents, you will still want to report the accident, but have 30 days from the day of the incident to do so.
Legally, you don’t have to file a police report after a minor accident, but you should still do so. Filing an official police report will help you with the insurance companies when you go to make a claim for compensation for any injuries or damages.
Never talk with the other driver’s insurance company without a car accident attorney present. The insurance company will try to get you to admit that your injuries or the accident were not as bad as you claimed they were or that you were partially at fault.
Yes. You still need to seek out medical attention, even if you feel fine after the accident. This is because some injuries can be hidden when adrenaline is still coursing through your body after the accident. It is always best to get checked out after an accident to make sure any hidden injuries can be treated as soon as possible. This will ensure that they do not get worse and that all injuries are properly documented.
