What do you do if you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident? This could be while driving a car or truck, while traveling as a passenger in any motor vehicle, riding a motorcycle, or as a pedestrian.
First off, you will want to seek immediate medical attention if needed.
Second, if you are able to do so, it is important to obtain whatever evidence and information you can. If anyone witnessed the crash, obtain their name, address, phone number, and a written statement of what they saw. Take pictures of both vehicles from various angles to document any damage. If any poles, signs, trees or other objects were involved in the collision, take pictures of those too.
You should know that many people do not initially feel pain or discomfort at the scene, but that night or the day after, or even sometime over the next several days, can develop significant pain, often times in the neck or back. This can be the case even when there is minor damage to the vehicles. It is also possible to sustain a concussion in the crash and not have immediate symptoms. The police may insist that you go by ambulance to the emergency department. Many people are able to drive themselves or may have someone drive them to the emergency department. Make note of which hospital you visited. Many times the emergency department doctor will encourage you to follow up with your primary care physician.