What to Do at the Scene of an Illinois Car Accident

If you've just been injured in a car accident in Illinois, your first priority is to ensure everyone's safety. Everyone should be out of the line of traffic and away from the vehicles, especially if gasoline is present. You should not move any of the vehicles unless it is safe to do so and the position of the vehicle is posing a hazard to other drivers.

A call to police should be your next step, as medical treatment is likely necessary and you will want a police report generated to document your accident. Illinois state laws require you to report any car accident resulting in personal injury or death. This is not only for your own personal benefit, but also to create an important piece of documentation that will aid in building your car accident claim.

If your injuries aren't severe and you are able to function safely at the scene, you should take pictures of the damage to your vehicle and any surrounding property, making notes of the condition of the road (heavy traffic, debris, slippery, etc.). Hopefully, any witnesses to your car accident have also stopped and you can obtain their names and contact information for further evidence.

You can gather a lot of critical information for your Illinois personal injury claim from the first few minutes following a car accident. What you do with this information afterwards is what can make or break your insurance claim. Read our article on the first steps after your car accident for more information.

Contact an Illinois personal injury attorney at the Law Offices of Barry G. Doyle, P.C. for more complete information about building a successful personal injury claim after a car accident in Illinois. - (312) 263-0153