What Should I Do After a Car Wreck in Alabama?

After a car wreck, most people aren’t sure what to do first, and the decisions made in those first few minutes and days can shape everything that comes after. David Greene, founding attorney at Greene & Phillips Injury Lawyers in Mobile, Alabama, joined Studio 10 on Fox 10 to walk through the steps that protect both your safety and any claim you may have later.

What Is the First Thing to Do After a Car Accident?

Check on everyone in the car before anything else. If no one is badly hurt and it’s safe to do so, take a look at the scene and photograph both vehicles and the damage before anything gets moved. If you’re on a busy road, get over to the shoulder where you’re out of traffic. Then call the police. Officers will come out, investigate, take statements, and write an accident report.

Why Does the Police Report Matter, Even for a Fender Bender?

Memories change. Someone who seemed certain about what happened at the scene can remember it very differently once fault is on the table, especially when the fault is theirs. A report gives you an officer’s own account of what they saw, recorded at the time, along with their opinion on how the wreck happened. That documentation often makes a real difference when a claim is worked up later. So call the police even when the damage looks minor.

What Are the Advantages of Photographing the Accident Scene?

The more you can show about what happened, the stronger your position. Photos capture things a written report can’t: the position of the cars, the extent of the damage, the condition of the road. While you’re still at the scene, it’s also worth collecting the other driver’s insurance information along with their name and contact details.

Should I Get Witness Contact Information?

Outside of serious accidents, police usually don’t gather names and phone numbers for witnesses. Those witnesses can help enormously when fault is disputed. If you’re able, write down the name and number of anyone who saw the wreck. A neutral person who watched it happen and has no stake in the outcome can be one of the most useful parts of a case.

Do I Need Medical Care If I Feel Fine?

If you’re bleeding or have broken bones, take the ambulance to the emergency room. For everything else, here’s a rule of thumb worth remembering: if either vehicle was damaged, your body absorbed force too, and some injuries don’t announce themselves right away. Adrenaline hides a lot in the hours after a crash, and soft tissue injuries in particular can surface days later. Getting checked by a doctor protects your health and puts your condition on the record while it’s fresh. An urgent care center will often see you sooner than a hospital emergency room.

What Should I Say If the Other Driver’s Insurance Company Calls?

You may get a call from the other driver’s insurer asking for a recorded statement. You’re not required by law to give one. Talking to the other side’s adjuster without a lawyer present can hurt your claim, because a casual, offhand comment can be used against you later. It’s perfectly fine to decline and tell them you’ll follow up.

When Should I Talk to an Attorney?

Dealing with insurance companies gets frustrating fast. Adjusters do this every day, and they know the rules and the ways to keep a payout low. If another driver hurt you, it’s worth talking to a lawyer who handles car wrecks to understand your options. That first conversation doesn’t commit you to anything.

What Does It Cost to Hire a Car Accident Attorney?

The consultation is free. Greene & Phillips works on a contingency fee, which means there’s no attorney’s fee unless the firm recovers compensation for you.

About the Author

David Greene is the founding attorney of Greene & Phillips Injury Lawyers, a personal injury firm with offices in Mobile and Birmingham, Alabama. He has practiced personal injury, wrongful death, and product liability law in Alabama for nearly 28 years and has tried thousands of cases. Greene & Phillips handles only personal injury matters and charges no fee unless you recover.

Call or text (251) 478-1115, come by 51 North Florida Street in Midtown Mobile, or reach us through our contact page.