What should I do after a car accident in Alabama?
If there is damage to either vehicle, call 911 and get a police report (even for a minor fender-bender). Stories change after a wreck; the officer’s report documents what happened while the evidence is fresh, and it often makes the difference in a disputed claim.
- Call 911, tell them you were in a wreck and the location, and follow their directions. When the officer arrives and writes up a report, be sure to get the report number.
- Photograph everything: vehicles, damage, positions, plates, the scene, and exchange information with the other driver.
- Seek medical treatment the same day. Go to the ER, an urgent care clinic, or even a chiropractor. Even if you think you’re okay, some injuries don’t hurt until hours or days after a wreck, and a same-day medical record ties your injuries to the crash.
- Talk to a personal injury lawyer before speaking with any insurance company (yours or the other driver’s). Insurance companies are protecting their own interests, not yours, and in Alabama a stray remark that sounds like an admission of partial fault can bar your recovery entirely under the contributory negligence rule. A lawyer can put your insurer on notice for you, so your policy’s prompt-notice requirement is met without you giving a statement.
As attorney David Greene put it on FOX10’s Studio 10: “You really need that report, because things change… a police officer actually looks at it and gives their opinion in that report. So many times that makes a huge difference in making a case.”
