Almost inevitably, at some point in any driver's life, he will be involved in a car accident. Most of these accidents involve minor fender-benders in which nobody is hurt. But what do you do when the accident is serious? Your head hurts or your neck is injured and you can't work. You may be confined to a hospital bed, or worse, a loved one may have been killed as a result of a careless driver.

Now you are faced with an insurance adjustor that wants you to give a recorded statement about what happened, or may be offering you compensation that seems grossly inadequate to compensate for the injuries and inconvenience you have suffered.

If you want to make sure you are covered, and ultimately compensated, for all of the damage done, you should immediately consult a personal injury attorney who has experience dealing with insurance companies and knows how to maximize your settlement.

The following is a checklist of what to do after a car accident, including information you will need to help support your claim. You can use this checklist to gather and organize the information that will strengthen your case which can then be turned over to your attorney.

• Driver information: Obtain information from all other drivers such as name, license number, tag number, insurance company name, policy number.
• Photographs: Take photographs of the vehicles involved, the accident scene, and any injuries you may have
• Police report: Get a copy of the police report and the responding officers name and badge number
• Witnesses: Get names addresses and telephone numbers of all witnesses

• Keep track of Medical expenses.
• Speak with police so they understand YOUR version of how the accident occurred
• Keep a log of time lost work time
• Keep a log of lost time from school
• Take photographs of your injuries
• Get witnesses contact information
• Get Car repair estimates and bills
• Keep receipts of out of pocket expenses

• Seek medical treatment immediately after an accident! Waiting to seek treatment many drastically reduce any future settlement value
• After you get emergency treatment contact an attorney immediately
• Do not admit fault immediately after the accident
• Do not give a recorded statement to any insurance company prior to seeking legal counsel
• Do not settle your case until all related expenses are known and accounted for

Contact me for a free consultation to discuss the specific details of your accident and receive a free evaluation of your claim. I am experienced with dealing with insurance companies and my goal is to help you get the most compensation available under the facts and the law.