Common Auto Accident FAQ Questions

Anyone who has been involved in an auto accident is aware of the various injuries and necessary paperwork which is required to guarantee that you can recover for your personal injuries directly resulting from the auto accident.

Below are a few FAQ Question and Answers if you desire to learn some additional information about auto accidents:

Q: What would happen if I leave the scene of an automobile accident?

A: If you are involved in an auto accident involving a pedestrian, a parked motor vehicle, a piece of property, or another motor vehicle, you are required to stop and remain at the scene of the auto accident. Failure to stay at the scene of the accident will cause you to be charged with a hit-and-run even if you were the non-negligent party who was hit.

Q: What should I do if I hit a parked motor vehicle or another piece of property?

A: If you are involved in an automobile accident with a parked motor vehicle, you are required to attempt to find the owner or driver of that vehicle. If you are unable to locate the owner of the motor vehicle, you are required to leave your name, contact information as well as an explanation of what happened. You are further required to then advise the police as to the accident which may be performed either by phone or personally. Similarly, if you damage a piece of property, you must find the owner or otherwise leave your contact information on the piece of damaged property.

Q; What should I do to have help arrive to the scene of the auto / car accident?

A: Call 911 or have someone else call 911 as soon as possible after the auto accident. If you don’t have a cell phone, have one of the witnesses to the auto accident call for emergency medical assistance, or have them go to a nearby business or residence to make the emergency phone call. Upon getting through to the 911 operator, inform them of the location of the car accident, and request the appropriate assistance for the injuries sustained at the scene of the auto accident. You may request a paramedic or ambulance, fire trucks, or an emergency helicopter. If the scene of the auto accident is a dark, insecure or remote location, you should drive to the closest safe place and wait for the emergency personnel to arrive there.

Q: What information should I collect at the scene of the auto accident?

A: It is important that you collect the following information, and provide this information to your Auto Accident Attorney as soon as possible:

The name of all individuals involved in the auto accident;
The address of each of the individuals involved in the auto accident;
The birth dates of each individual involved in the auto accident;
Work and Home Contact Phone Numbers for each of the individuals involved in the auto accident;
The driver’s license (or identification card) number and expiration date of each of the individuals involved in the auto accident;
Insurance company names and policy numbers for each of the individuals involved in the car accident;
A list of all of the makes and models of the cars involved in the auto accident;
License plate numbers on each motor vehicle;
Pertinent expiration dates for the information already collected as to this auto accident;
If the driver involved in the auto accident was not the owner of the motor vehicle, you must get the owner’s name, address, telephone number as well as the owner’s insurance company and pertinent policy numbers;
Names and contact information of all passengers in the motor vehicles involved in the auto accident;
Make a simple diagram of the traffic accident, including the location of any traffic signs or traffic lights;
Take pictures of the scene of the accident, including damage to all of the motor vehicles, and skid marks; and
Write down what the weather conditions were, e.g. foggy, rainy, dawn, dusk, well-lit area, etc.

Q: What should I do if I caused the accident?

A: Only state the facts which occurred which resulted in the auto accident. Don’t accept responsibility as causing the auto accident, and never state that you are sorry for causing the auto accident as there may be many, yet unknown, facts which made the other drivers responsible for the auto accident. Until an auto accident attorney can obtain these critical facts, it is important to not take responsibility as this may hinder your opportunity to recover compensation for your damages in the near future. Likewise, pay attention to what the other drivers say at the scene of the accident and write everything down that they say, including when they say they are responsible for causing the auto accident.

Injured in an Auto Accident in Burbank, Glendale or Pasadena?

If you or a family member has been seriously injured in an auto accident as a direct result of the negligence of another motor vehicle driver in Burbank, Glendale or Pasadena, we are here to help. Our Auto Accident Lawyers can assist you in filing a claim for your serious injuries or for the wrongful death of a family member.

Call us at 800-704-8237 for a free confidential consultation to discuss your auto accident.