The last thing you want to do is cause another accident or more damage because your vehicle wasn’t properly parked. Always make sure that your vehicle is in park before exiting to ensure you don’t roll into another parked vehicle. During stressful times people often ignore simple things like moving to side of the road because they are flustered.

Check yourself and all other parties involved for injuries. Do what you can to help anyone that is seriously injured. If the accident is very severe, you should ask bystanders for help. If any passengers are injured, it is important to call 911 and an ambulance right away.

Make sure to gather drivers and passengers’ information from everyone involved in the accident. It is important to take as many pictures as possible. You want to write down the make, model, year, and license plate for every vehicle.

Take note of every police officers name and badge number for documentation. Do not sign any documents unless it is provided by the police or your insurance adjuster.

Write down the names and contact information of every bystander or eyewitness that saw the accident. Witnesses can be very helpful when going to court for your car accident case.

Contact your auto insurance company and file a claim. It is important to gather as much information about your accident before filing your claim. It may be better to file a claim after you have had a chance to calm down.

You should notify your insurance agent within 24 hours of the incident but is not mandatory. According to State Laws, Texas requires drivers to file a Crash Report, Form CR-2 within ten days when the accident is not investigated by a police officer and it results in injury, death, or property damage greater than $1,000.

If you have been injured or there has been property damage, it is important to contact a personal injury lawyer. The faster you provide all the information about the incident, the faster your settlement can get filed. There is many factors that can financially impact you, even if it wasn’t your fault. You could lose your job, car, and end up with thousands of dollars in medical bills if you do not contact an attorney.