In the heat of a moment or right after a road traffic accident or a slip and trip, it can be hard to keep in mind the right things to do – but once you’ve made sure that you or anyone else involved in the accident is physically safe, experts say you’ve got some legal responsibilities to keep in mind – especially if you think you may be making or be involved in an accident claim.
One of the most important things to do once you’re no longer in the thick of it is to write everything down in order to create a record of events. This is especially important if you think you may have to make a personal injury compensation claim, as you’ll need to supply the names and addresses of anyone and everyone who was at the scene of the accident, both those directly involved and those who simply witnessed the incident; if you’re doing this on behalf of an incapacitated victim, make sure you take accurate notes for their personal injury lawyers.
In addition to writing everything down, you should supplement this with taking photographs of the aftermath of a particular accident. With nearly every mobile phone having a camera built into it at this point, it’s easy to take a series of snaps to document the state of the pavement you tripped over or the state of your vehicle after a road accident, and claimants that have photographic evidence prevail much more often than those who do not.
Finally – and this could be the most important tip – you need to keep everything organised in a file or a folder. Just keeping all your paperwork in the same, easily accessible place will make it much easier for you to manage the stress that comes with making an accident claim.