You may be contacted by a representative of an insurance company or lawyer following an accident.  If this happens be very careful to determine who the insurance company or attorney represents before you speak with them further.  You have an obligation to speak to your own insurance company's representative and to provide general information about the accident.  You should absolutely not discuss the accident or your injuries with an insurance adjuster or lawyer who represents another party in the accident.  You should never provide anyone with a recorded statement.  During a recorded statement, you may be asked questions that seem innocent but in reality may be very damaging to you.  The statement may be used later against you.  For this reason, if anyone wishes to record your conversation, you should consult with an attorney to protect your rights.

If you were hurt in the accident it is very important that you seek medical care as quickly as possible.  Depending on the severity of your injuries, you should seek treatment at a local hospital, with your family doctor or a specialist for the type of injury you suffered.  If you do not know the name of a doctor who treats the type of injuries you suffered, ask someone you trust for a referral.

As soon as it is practical, you should notify your insurance company that you were in an accident.  Your policy requires that you do so quickly.  A delay in advising your carrier of the accident may mean a delay in receiving the compensation you are entitled to.

At the scene of the accident, you were probably provided with an "Exchange of Information" form by the investigating officer.  The form you received is not the "Accident Report".  The accident report contains much additional information and usually takes several days to prepare.  You should obtain a copy of the accident report from the appropriate law enforcement agency as soon as possible.

You can do several other things within days of the accident that will help you.  First, take pictures of your vehicle.  It is important to preserve evidence of the damages to your vehicle for use later if necessary.  If you saw skid marks at the scene after the accident, go back as soon as possible and take photographs of them.  It is also a good idea to measure the skid marks. Occasionally, if a vehicle is towed from the scene, it will be stored at a facility that may also hold the other vehicle from the accident.  If this occurs, while you are obtaining photos of your vehicle take pictures of the other vehicle as well.

Following a motor vehicle accident you will probably have many questions that you have never considered before.  You will have to deal with issues concerning the damage to your vehicle, what to do with medical bills and lost wages and whether or not you have a right to seek compensation for what you are going through.  All of these issues are closely connected.  We will attempt to answer some of these questions in the following sections.