What to do if you are involved in a Car Accident

No one expects to be in an accident but if you are,

Do You Know What To Do If You Are Involved in a Car Accident?

According to some statistics there are over 151 auto accidents every day in Atlanta and Fulton County, or about 6 every hour.  That doesn’t include all the surrounding cities and counties.  In Georgia, there were over 330,000 accidents in 2020, the last year with statistics. All you have to do is observe all the MANY accident attorney bill boards to know are LOTS of auto accidents.

9 Important steps to take if you are involved in a car accident, even a minor fender bender

1. Stop – Never leave the scene of an accident
2. If you are able, move your car to a safe spot.
3. Check to see if you or anyone else is seriously injured.
4. Call the police, even for a minor accident.
5. Exchange information.
6. Limits discussions of the accident with the other party (Never say you are OK.  You may have whiplash injuries that are not apparent immediately.)
7. If possible, take pictures of the scene and the vehicles.
8. Contact your insurance company and/or an attorney.
9. Make an appointment with our office to get checked for a whiplash or other injury – If left untreated they can lead to issues in the future.

Important Information to collect if you are involved in a car accident

1. Name of the other involved driver.
2. Their phone #
3. Their insurance company
4. Their insurance policy #
5. Their driver’s license #
6. Their license plate #

Check out and print the card below or call or click here to request a postcard copy from the office and keep it in your glove compartment.*

*DISCLAIMER: This is not offered as any sort of legal advice or information. It is given as some general thoughts when you have been involved in an accident.

Insurance facts to keep in mind

• Most medical insurance does NOT cover injuries from a car accident.

• If you have MedPay or Person Injury Protection as part of your car insurance, it will cover injury care even if you are at fault. (Most people are not aware if they have this extra coverage so check your policy and consider adding it if you do not currently have it.  It is the most inexpensive insurance you can purchase.)

• Whether you are at fault or not insurance companies will want to take statements immediately after an accident. This can be before you are aware of delayed symptoms from an injury. You may want to indicate you are not sure if you have any or the extent of possible injuries. 

• Insurance companies will try to get you to settle as soon as possible.  Resist settling until you are certain you have not sustained any injuries.  Whiplash injuries and symptoms often take several days to weeks to be realized.

• It is always advisable to consult with an accident attorney even if you do not end up using their services as they can advise you on the best course of action.  Many attorneys will consult free of charge.

What you need to know about Whiplash injuries

Whiplash is the most common injury in a car accident.  It is caused by a severe jerk to the head moving backwards and forwards or from side to side.

Whiplash can injure bones in the spine, disks between the bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves and other tissues of the neck.  It usually causes the vertebrae of the neck to be knocked out of alignment which can lead to other nerve interference issues and pain often located away from the neck.

It is important to consult with Dr. Alexander who is experienced in treating whiplash and other auto accident injuries after any car accident, even a minor one.

Untreated, whiplash can cause long term effects.

Common Symptoms of Whiplash include:

• Neck and shoulder pain
• Loss of range of motion
• Back pain
• Headaches
• Tingling and/or numbness in arms
• Fatigue
• Dizziness

Emergency room or medical doctors are usually not trained to diagnose and treat a whiplash injury.  These injuries typically do not show up on x-rays which is what most medical doctors use to determine an injury has occurred.  Chiropractors are specially trained to test for and treat whiplash injuries.

Muscle relaxers and/or pain medication will only cover up the symptoms on a temporary basis.  They do not treat the injury itself.

Dr. Alexander is experienced in diagnosing and treating whiplash injuries using adjustments to correct spinal misalignments and laser and/or ultrasound therapies to help heal soft tissue injuries.

The bottom line…Know what to do at the scene if you are involved in a car accident, call our office to schedule an accident injury assessment, and consult with an attorney if needed.