A car accident is a traumatic experience, particularly if someone has suffered serious injuries and it can be hard to think clearly. However, individuals in car accidents in Texas need to take certain steps to obtain report the car accident.
What If I Have an Injury from My Car Accident?
If someone else caused the accident and you or your loved one has sustained injuries, you need to know the appropriate steps to take to protect your rights, including the right to sue the at-fault driver and seek compensation for your losses.
Call Herrman & Herrman Injury Attorneys
The San Antonio car accident attorneys at Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C. help accident victims obtain compensation for medical expenses, lost income due to their injuries, and for their pain and suffering. We have helped thousands of clients across south Texas recover millions of dollars through personal injury claims.
Steps You Should Take After A Car Accident in San Antonio To Protect Yourself
Report The Car Accident
Phone 911 to report a car accident to the police. You must report the traffic accident to the police if there is an injury or death if the vehicles cannot be moved from the road, if a driver leaves the scene or if you suspect a driver is intoxicated.
Before calling 9-1-1, assess whether anyone requires emergency medical care. If there are injuries, request an ambulance and inform the dispatcher how many ambulances are needed.
Wait for the police to arrive
Do not leave the scene of a car accident. San Antonio police or the Bexar County Sheriff’s Department may charge you with hit and run if you leave the scene. If the accident wasn’t serious and there were no injuries, move your vehicle to the shoulder of the road and turn on your hazard lights to help alert other drivers.
When the police arrive, answer the officer’s questions with the facts about what happened. Don’t blame the other driver(s) and don’t blame yourself.
If you need medical care, do as instructed by paramedics and/or EMTs who respond to your 911 call, including being taken to the hospital via ambulance.
Document a San Antonio Car Accident and Your Injuries
Take photos of the accident scene while waiting for emergency responders to arrive. Get pictures of the vehicles involved and their damage, and photos of your injuries. Take photos of crash debris, such as broken glass, sheared car parts and skid marks on the road
Take photos of road conditions that may have contributed to the crash, such as construction, potholes, obscured road signs, standing water on the road, or overgrown vegetation that blocked the view of oncoming cars. Photograph anything that might help illustrate what happened and/or why.
Exchange information with the other driver(s)
Get the name, contact information, insurance company name and policy number, and vehicle identification number (VIN) and license plate number from all drivers involved in the accident. Provide your information as well.
If the driver refuses to share registration or insurance information, simply wait for the police to arrive and collect the information. You can obtain the information from the officer.
Get names and contact information for any other witnesses to the crash, including your or the other driver’s passengers.
Report your injuries to a doctor
If you did not go directly from the accident scene to a hospital, you should see a doctor within 24 hours of the accident for a medical assessment. Make sure the doctor is aware that you were in a car accident. The doctor will evaluate your condition and may diagnose injuries that were not apparent immediately after the accident.
Medical records will be important evidence if you file an injury claim for insurance or if you have to file a personal injury lawsuit to obtain compensation. A doctor’s report documents your injuries and may support your injury claim
Contact your car insurance company about the accident
Most insurance companies require a prompt report of an accident, often within 24 hours. Just report the facts. Reporting the accident is not the same as filing a claim. If asked, say that at this time you are simply notifying the insurer of the accident and a potential claim. If your auto insurance coverage includes “medpay” medical coverage for the occupants of your vehicle, report any injuries from the accident.
Be careful to not say anything to anyone about the accident or your injuries that can be held against you or used to deny or reduce your claim later.
Keep a record of the aftermath of the accident
Make notes about the impact of the accident and your injuries on your life. Save receipts for medical care and medication, and make notes about medical exams and how you feel. Save receipts for any costs connected to the accident, from having to rent a car to having to hire help around the house.
Make notes of the progress of your recovery and any setbacks, including physical and mental pain. Note any family functions, special occasions or hobbies that you can’t take part in because of your injuries.
Get a Copy of the Police Car Accident Report
Obtain a copy of the police report about your car accident, known as a Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3). A law enforcement officer who investigates a traffic crash must file the report when apparent vehicle damage is worth $1,000 or more, or when the crash caused injury or death. You can get the report online or by mail if you complete a Request for Copy of Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-91).
The fee is $8 for a certified copy, which makes it an official document necessary for a legal proceeding.
The San Antonio Police Department Records Office sells copies of police reports to the public online and by mail.
Download the Police Report Request Form at the link above and submit it with a self-addressed stamped envelope to:
San Antonio Police Department Records Office
315 S. Santa Rosa
San Antonio, Texas 78207
You may also request reports in person from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. To contact the SAPD Records Office by phone, call (210) 207-7598. Reports cannot be ordered by phone.
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer in San Antonio
If you have been injured in a car accident in San Antonio or elsewhere in Bexar County caused by another driver, contact a car crash lawyer at Herrman & Herrman, P.L.L.C. We can schedule a free, no-obligation legal consultation and make sure you understand your legal options for pursuing a car accident claim. If you have a valid claim, we can aggressively pursue full compensation on your behalf.
Our law office has English- and Spanish-speaking staff ready to assist you at our offices in San Antonio and elsewhere in South Texas. Don’t wait to get a clear understanding of your legal rights. Call us today at (361) 882-4357, chat with us live 24/7, or fill out our online contact form today.
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