Steps to Take After a Louisiana Fender Bender

When you grab your car keys and set out to pick up groceries, head to work, or meet up with family or friends, you are not typically thinking of getting into a car accident. But minor accidents, often referred to as fender benders, happen all the time. And even minor crashes can lead to stress and financial headaches. After a Louisiana fender bender, connect with a Shreveport auto accident lawyer to discuss what happened and how to move forward.

What to Do When a Fender Bender Happens

Even if you feel emotionally upset about the event, one thing you should do following a minor crash is stay calm. Also, you should stop in a safe location, out of the flow of moving traffic. Turn on your hazard lights so other cars will avoid you. This can help reduce the possibility of a chain reaction of accidents.

If anyone is hurt, assess the injuries. If immediate treatment is needed, call for medical help right away. Other things to keep in mind after an accident include the following:

• Don’t panic
• Stay safe
• Obtain information from the other driver
• Collect witness contact information
• Do not admit fault
• Take photos and notes

Some of the information you will want to gather from the other drivers includes the names of all individuals involved, their insurance information, license plate numbers, and the make, model, and year of each car.

It is also helpful to take notes, writing down how the event happened while the details of the accident are fresh in your mind. Things to include in your notes could be if there was a distraction on the road or if inclement weather contributed to the event. Photos of injuries and vehicular damage are also beneficial. Capturing these images on your phone is convenient and then the pictures have a digital date and time attached to them as well.

Determining the At-Fault Driver is Possible

Sometimes it is not immediately clear who was negligent. Whether or not damage occurred is not always clear right away either. It is important not to take any risks with your health and safety. This means you should have your health assessed by a doctor following a collision. And if your vehicle has unusual sounds or strange smells, be sure those issues are looked over. There could be damage you were not aware of in the moments following an accident.

It is important to note that determining fault is not the job of individuals involved in the event. For example, never say you were to blame. Insurance companies will assess the situation. To have a legal representative on your side, talk to a Shreveport auto accident lawyer.

Did you sustain an injury in a Shreveport fender bender? Talk to the personal injury lawyers at Rice & Kendig. We truly care about our clients and devote our knowledge, skills and resources toward securing a great result every time. You do not need to navigate complicated negotiations on your own. Together, we can achieve success. Contact us today at 318-222-2772 to schedule your free consultation.