If you are ever involved in a car accident in Colorado, no matter who was at fault, your first order of business must be determining if anyone has been hurt. If so, you need to call emergency services right away so that they can get assistance. Forget about insurance and things of this nature until the rest has been taken care of.
Next, if the accident is minor enough, you need to clear the roadway. This protects other drivers. If it is a major accident or it is impossible to safely move the cars, you absolutely want to leave them where they are, however.
Now, if everyone is safe and uninjured, you need to start thinking about the legal side of the process. For one thing, you never want to apologize or tell the other driver that you were at fault, even if you think that you are. It is fine to talk to them and exchange insurance information, but you need to watch your words. Instead of determining fault on your own, simply allow the police to do it when they arrive.
Finally, you may also want to start taking pictures of the scene. Some of these pictures could be used to capture the whole scene, showing how and why the accident happened. Other pictures could be of the damage to your car and the other car. This could all be crucial evidence if the accident leads to a court case.
Have you been in a car accident and suffered minor or even catastrophic injuries? If so, take heed of the above advice, and be sure that you know your rights.
Source: Cars.com, “What To Do After a Car Accident” Tim Cadet, Dec. 17, 2014
