Most of the time, when you find yourself in a car accident, you have no idea what you should do, especially if it wasn’t your fault. You’re panicking, scared, and can't think straight, and maybe have never found yourself in a similar situation. To better handle the situation, here are a few things that you need to do right after a car accident.

1. Don’t Drive Off

Even if the accident was entirely not your fault, you must never drive off from the crash scene. Driving off will paint the whole accident as a hit-and-run case, and it will make you seem like the party at fault. You need to actually stay at the crash scene and gather pieces of evidence. After you ensure that you and everyone involved in the accident are not severely hurt and have gotten to safety, exchange contact information with the other driver. The type of evidence you should gather are pictures of the damaged parts from both cars as well as the other car’s plate number. If the other car drives off quickly, search around for any surveillance cameras to be able to get data about the car and its driver.

2. Contact the Police

After everyone has gotten to safety, you must contact the police or your country’s emergency number. When the police do arrive at the crime scene or even prior to that, never admit guilt or responsibility for the accident. Never lie when the policemen are questioning you. If you do lie, this might put you in a bad position or place some of the guilt on your end. It can also provide the other party an opportunity to blame you for the accident. It is necessary that you share with the police any witness information that you have gathered, if possible. If this was a case of a hit-and-run accident, then it is very important to share with the police any information you have on the other car or driver.

3. Contact an Attorney

You will need to contact your attorney as soon as you can, or if you don’t already have one, then you need to get yourself a qualified attorney. Having an attorney by your side comes as a necessity, especially if the other party refuses to admit guilt for the accident. Laws differ from one place to another. So let’s say that you get involved in an accident in the state of Georgia, it is imperative that you find yourself an attorney that is well versed in their local laws.  Therefore, you must find an experienced car accident lawyer in Georgia to help you with your case. An attorney in your local area will be able to better help you receive your full rights, from either your insurance company or the guilty party, if they are qualified enough. You should never lie to your lawyer or hide facts from them, no matter how bad it can be.

It’s important to share the relevant information with the lawyer you hire because they will never be able to help you if you don't share the accident’s details with honesty and openness. Your lawyer should have your complete trust because everything you share with them is protected under client-attorney privilege. This privilege provides that if your attorney shares any information you shared with them while working with you, it is considered inadmissible in court and is actually punishable by law. You must also share all the information and evidence you’ve gathered from the crime scene with your attorney. Make sure that the lawyer you chose to represent you has enough resources to help you and has a fee that is within your capabilities.

4. Seek Medical Help

Your health is very important and should be on top of your priority list. If you find yourself injured in any way, or you feel pain anywhere in your body, make sure to seek medical care immediately. Even if your pain or injuries are not severe, this could be a sign of a bigger internal issue that needs medical attention immediately or in the very near future. If you don’t have remarkable signs of an injury on your body, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get yourself checked out. It is best to get yourself checked out by a medic anyway to make sure that you are safe and healthy and that there is no internal bleeding.

No matter how minor the damage to your car is, you should not fight for your rights. In most hit-and-run cases, the criminal is never found, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t report the accident. An accident report proves that you are not guilty and ensures that your insurance provider will grant you your full rights. If at any point you feel uncomfortable with your lawyer or as if they don’t have your best interest at heart, seek other legal help from a different firm or a different lawyer from the same firm. You must also make sure that you hire a lawyer that specializes in car accident cases.