At the scene of the accident (assuming you’re conscious and moving), your second prerogative after looking at those involved for threatening injuries is to obtain as much information about what happened at the scene of the accident as possible. You should ask for the other driver’s name, address, driver's license number, insurance information, and license plate number. If
there are any witnesses who can give insight into what happened at the collision, get their names, addresses, and telephone numbers. Ask the police officer's who investigate the traffic scene to provide you with a business card, with the "incident number," so that you can obtain an accident report. Usually they will give these things to you without you asking, but it never hurts to be on top of things. You should make a statement to the police at this time, but do not make statements to anybody else at the accident scene. When you speak to the police, tell them only the facts of what happened, they can draw their own conclusions from there. You should take notes about the location- where the accident occurred, the road conditions, speed limits, traffic control devices, and the weather. Finally, you should take notes about how the accident occurred, such as the direction of travel of the vehicles involved in the accident, and what the cars were doing at the time of the collision. You can share these notes if you sue the other drive or if the other driver sues you. Never admit fault at an accident since there may be factors you’re not aware of, which played a role in the accident, and it may turn out that the other driver was more liable than you.
Then, you need to see a doctor. Even if you feel fine, if there’s any possibility you were injured in the accident, you need to go. First, the "adrenaline rush" from the accident can mask your symptoms. The doctor may find an injury that you do not yet feel. Also, tell the doctor if you have any loss of memory, headache, blood or fluid in your ear, dizziness, tinnitus, disorientation, nausea, confusion, or any other unusual physical or mental feeling. Often people will hit their heads in an accident and not realize that they are injured. This should be done quickly after the accident since, if you are injured in the accident and sue the other driver, the other driver may argue that your injuries were not related to the accident.
