Pedestrian accidents – What do I do?

Posted on December 16, 2013 by PR

Below are some guidelines to help you or a loved one, if ever involved as a pedestrian in a motor vehicle accident:

  1. Do not panic or leave the scene of the accident.
  2. If possible, call the police.  If anyone is injured, ask for emergency medical personnel.
  3. If the police do not come to the scene of the accident, report it immediately to the local police department in the community where the accident occurred.
  4. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.  Often, very serious injuries are not immediately apparent.
  5. Obtain the following information from the other driver(s) involved in the accident
    • name
    • address
    • phone number
    • drivers license number, including expiration date
    • license plate number
    • vehicle registration and insurance information, including the specific insurance policy number.
  6. If the owner of the other vehicle involved in the accident is not the same as the driver, you should also obtain the owner’s name, address, phone number, and insurance information.
  7. Seek out all witnesses to the accident and get their names, addresses, and phone numbers.  This includes passengers in vehicles involved in the pedestrian accident.
  8. Promptly notify your own insurance company that you were in an accident.  There may be benefits available to you under your own policy.
  9. If the driver who struck you fled the scene of the accident, you still must make a police report and notify your insurance company immediately about the accident.  Some insurance policies require that you give notice of your intent to make a claim, due to an unidentified driver, within 30 days of the accident.  If you are in a hit-and-run accident, consult an auto accident attorney immediately.
  10. If the driver/owner of the vehicle that struck you did not have motor vehicle insurance (which is a violation of California law), immediately tell your own insurance company that you intend to make a claim for uninsured and/or under insured motorist coverage.  Some insurance companies require prompt notification of such claims, and reserve the right to deny benefits to those who do not follow the strict regulations of their policies.
  11. Consider securing photographs of the scene, vehicles involved and any resulting injuries.
  12. If you or a loved one was seriously injured in an accident, contact an experienced San Diego auto accident lawyer.