Legal Toolkit Ohio Injury and Accidents

At the scene of the accident, call 9-1-1 if someone has been injured and wait until police or fire personnel arrive. Warn coming drivers by placing accident flares appropriately, activating hazard lights on both vehicles, and/or moving vehicles to the side of the road if possible. Once the space around the accident has been as secured as possible, exchange information with the other driver.

Accident information to gather: Insurance name, policy number, and agent contact; Driver’s name, address, phone, and driver’s license number; Car make, model, license plate number; Photos of damaged property, scene of accident, surrounding area; Accident occurrence weather, roadway conditions, sight-obscuring contributors like overgrown vegetation, skid mark measurements if they can be safely obtained, and any other factors that may be important in determining the facts and causes of the accident.

After the accident, immediately contact your insurance agent, file a police report, and be seen by a physician if you are injured, keeping thorough copies of any reports. If parts of your body feel injured at the scene, you should report this information to the reporting officer or treating medical providers immediately. For an accident with any unusual components including, but not limited to, death, injury, significant damage, insurance or non-insurance issues, inaccurate police reports, consider contacting a personal injury attorney.

Following an injury accident, if you are phoned by an insurance agent, be very cautious sharing any information with them related to your injuries.

If the injured person has died, the family will need to decide who will be appointed administrator for purposes of pursuing a wrongful death claim.