WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE IN A FENDER-BENDER

Even cautious drivers get into accidents. A surprising number of low-impact collisions result in personal injury claims between the drivers — even when there is no visible damage to the cars! Most modern cars are built to withstand a 5-mph front bumper and 2 ½ mph rear bumper impact with a solid object. As a result, injuries are not uncommon in accidents when the vehicles have no visible damage.

Even with low-impact accidents, there are a few things you should do:

  • Check if anyone is hurt and call 911 for medical assistance;
  • Move cars to a safe location out of the lane of travel;
  • Contact the police and do not leave the scene;
  • Obtain the personal information of those involved (names, phone numbers, mailing, all vehicle occupants, and witnesses);
  • Exchange insurance information with the other driver;
  • Take photos of the accident scene and all vehicles involved. If it can be done safely, take photos before the vehicles have been moved.

Be careful what you say to the other driver, to the police, and to witnesses. Many people express their sympathy to others who are upset by apologizing. A phrase like “I’m sorry” can be viewed as an expression of sympathy or as an expression of guilt. Likewise, don’t volunteer to the the other driver that you or your insurance will “take care of everything.” (If you’re not to blame, why would you offer this?) These phrases might come back to haunt you if you later make a claim. Your attempt to reassure the other driver could be used to convince a jury that you believed you caused the accident.

Finally, keep in mind that injuries don’t always manifest immediately. Following trauma, while adrenaline is running through your veins and damaged muscles have not begun to swell, and before aches and stiffness have had a chance to set it, you may feel shaken, but not injured. When injuries occur in the “soft tissues” of the body, how you feel in the hours and days that follow indicate more accurately just how you have been compromised. If you wake up the next day and feel pain or stiffness, or a decrease in the natural range of motion of any body part, seek medical attention!