If you’ve been in a car accident with a drunk driver, you want to take steps very similar to the ones you would take after any other accident. At the time of the accident, let the police officer do their job. They will establish whether the drivers are drunk, who is at fault, and write their report. Remember not to tell the police officer or the other driver that the accident was your fault. Even if you think that your actions caused the accident, you may be wrong. Claiming fault for the accident can negatively affect your insurance and possible legal options. You want to stay out of the police officer’s way while they complete their job, though it is not uncommon for people who have been in a crash to take pictures of the accident scene.
The first thing you want to do after the accident is find a lawyer. If you took pictures of the accident, your lawyer can use them along with the police report to decide if you have a case to pursue or not. If you were at fault, or if the police officer did not determine that the other driver was driving under the influence, then that may be the end of that process for you. Your lawyer will be the one who lets you know if you can sue, or are eligible to pursue recompense through any other legal means.
Here are some other things to remember to do when you get in a car accident. While you’re still at the scene of the accident, take detailed notes. Record exactly how and where all vehicles involved were damaged, and contact information for all possible witnesses. If either driver is not the name on the automobile registration, be sure to make a note of that relationship too. When you talk to the police officer, keep the discussion to the facts so that their report is as accurate as possible. Lastly, don’t leave the scene of the accident before the other driver or the police officer; you don’t want to miss anything important. After the accident, call your insurance agent. Remember those photos and notes you took? Your agent will want those, along with the contact information for the police officer and the other driver, the other driver’s insurance information, and the police report number. Lastly, don’t discuss the accident details with anyone but the insurance agent or the police officer.