After an accident in Orlando, the actions you take in the first minutes and hours can significantly impact your health, safety, and ability to recover compensation. Knowing exactly what steps to follow helps you protect yourself physically and legally during this stressful time.
We understand that accidents happen unexpectedly, leaving you shaken and uncertain about what to do next. The confusion and adrenaline that follow a collision can make it difficult to think clearly. This guide from our Orlando personal injury lawyers outlines the essential steps to take immediately after an accident in Orlando.
Ensure Your Safety First
Your immediate safety should be your top priority after any accident in Orlando. Taking quick action to protect yourself and others from further harm sets the foundation for everything that follows.
Check for Injuries
After impact, take a moment to assess yourself and your passengers for injuries. Even minor accidents can cause serious harm that isn’t immediately apparent due to shock and adrenaline. Pay attention to any pain, dizziness, or discomfort—these could indicate injuries requiring immediate medical attention.
If anyone appears seriously injured, try not to move them unless absolutely necessary to prevent further harm. Moving someone with neck or back injuries could cause permanent damage. Instead, keep them calm and still while waiting for emergency medical personnel to arrive.
Move to a Safe Location
If your vehicle is creating a hazard in the roadway and can be safely moved, drive or push it to the shoulder or another safe area away from traffic. This reduces the risk of secondary collisions and creates a safer environment for everyone involved.
Turn on your hazard lights to alert other drivers to the presence of a disabled vehicle. If it’s dark and you have warning devices like flares or reflective triangles, set them up at a safe distance from your vehicle to provide additional warning to approaching traffic.
If you can’t move your vehicle due to damage or if it’s unsafe to do so, don’t risk injury trying to force it. Instead, carefully exit the vehicle when safe and move yourself and any passengers to a protected location away from traffic. Wait there until emergency services arrive.
Contact Emergency Services
Once you’ve ensured your immediate safety, contacting emergency services should be your next priority. This step creates an official record of the accident and brings trained professionals to the scene.
Call 911
Call 911 immediately to report the accident, even if it seems minor. In Florida, you’re legally required to report accidents involving injuries, death, or property damage over $500. Since most modern vehicles sustain damage exceeding this amount in even minor collisions, reporting is almost always necessary.
When speaking with the 911 dispatcher, remain calm and provide clear information about:
- Your exact location, including street names, cross streets, mile markers, or nearby landmarks
- The number of vehicles involved and the approximate number of people
- Any visible injuries or people trapped in vehicles
- Hazardous conditions like leaking fluids, fire, or vehicles blocking traffic
- Any special situations requiring additional resources, such as damaged utility poles
Stay on the line until the dispatcher tells you it’s okay to hang up. They may provide first aid instructions or other guidance while you wait for emergency services to arrive.
Cooperate with Police Officers
When police arrive, cooperate fully with their investigation. Provide honest, factual information about what happened, but avoid speculating about details you’re unsure about or admitting fault for the accident.
The responding officers will examine the scene, interview those involved and any witnesses, and compile an official accident report. This report becomes a crucial piece of evidence for your insurance claim and any potential legal action.
Ask the officer how to obtain a copy of the accident report and write down their name and badge number for reference. In Orlando, accident reports typically become available within 10 business days and can be obtained from the Orlando Police Department or Florida Highway Patrol, depending on which agency responded.
Document the Accident Scene
Thoroughly documenting the accident scene provides valuable evidence for insurance claims and potential lawsuits. Modern smartphones make this process easier than ever before.
Take Photos and Videos
Use your smartphone to take extensive photos and videos of the accident scene from multiple angles. This visual documentation can help establish what happened and who was at fault, especially if the other party later changes their story.
Start with wide shots showing the overall accident scene, including the position of all vehicles involved, their relationship to the road, and any relevant traffic signals or signs. Then, take closer photos of each vehicle’s specific damage, focusing on points of impact and all damaged areas.
Document any conditions that might have contributed to the accident, such as:
- Skid marks on the road
- Broken glass or vehicle parts
- Poor road conditions or obscured signs
- Weather conditions affecting visibility or traction
- Traffic signal operations
You or your passengers should also photograph any visible injuries they have sustained, though you should be respectful of privacy and sensitivity when photographing others’ injuries.
Exchange Information with Other Drivers
Exchange complete information with all other drivers involved in the accident. While emotions may run high, remain calm and professional during this interaction.
Collect the following information from each driver:
- Full name, address, phone number, and email address
- Driver’s license number and state of issue
- Vehicle make, model, year, and license plate number
- Insurance company name, policy number, and contact information
- Vehicle owner’s name and contact information (if different from the driver)
Most of this information appears on the insurance card that Florida law requires drivers to carry. You can also photograph these documents rather than writing everything down, which reduces the chance of errors.
While exchanging information, avoid discussing fault or arguing about the accident. Limit your conversation to collecting necessary information and checking if the other person is injured.
Identify and Speak with Witnesses
Witnesses can provide invaluable third-party accounts of how an accident occurred. Their unbiased perspective often helps establish liability, especially in cases where the drivers disagree about what happened.
Collect Witness Information
Look around for people who may have seen the accident. These might include other drivers who stopped, pedestrians, or people in nearby businesses. Approach potential witnesses respectfully and ask if they saw what happened.
For each witness willing to provide information, collect:
- Full name and contact information (phone number and email are most useful)
- A brief statement of what they observed
- Whether they would be willing to speak with your insurance company or attorney later
If possible, record witness statements using your smartphone’s voice recorder app (with their permission). This creates a contemporaneous record of their observations before memories fade or details become confused.
Some witnesses may be reluctant to get involved. Explain that you’re simply trying to create an accurate record of what happened and that their perspective could be important to resolving the matter fairly.
Ask About Video Footage
In today’s surveillance society, many accidents are captured on video. Ask witnesses if they’re aware of any cameras that might have recorded the accident.
Look for potential sources of video evidence such as:
- Traffic cameras at intersections
- Security cameras on nearby businesses
- Dashboard cameras in witness vehicles
- Doorbell cameras on nearby homes
- Cell phone recordings from bystanders
If you identify potential video sources, note their location and any information about who might control the footage. Video evidence can disappear quickly due to automatic deletion or overwriting, so acting promptly to preserve it is essential.
Seek Medical Attention
Even if you feel fine immediately after an accident in Orlando, seeking prompt medical attention is crucial for both your health and any future insurance claim or legal action.
Get Examined Even for “Minor” Injuries
Many serious injuries don’t display immediate symptoms. Adrenaline and shock can mask pain and other indicators of trauma, leading you to believe you’re uninjured when you actually require medical attention.
Head to an emergency room or urgent care facility as soon as possible after an accident, even if you think your injuries are minor or nonexistent. A medical professional can identify hidden injuries and provide documentation linking them to the accident—both critical for insurance claims.
If emergency services respond to the accident scene, allow EMTs to examine you. If they recommend transport to a hospital, it’s generally wise to accept. Declining medical attention at the scene but seeking it later can sometimes lead insurance companies to question whether your injuries resulted from the accident.
Follow Up with Your Doctor
Even after initial emergency treatment, schedule a follow-up appointment with your primary care physician within a few days of the accident. This creates additional medical documentation and ensures continuity of care for your injuries.
During this appointment, describe all symptoms in detail, no matter how minor they seem. Mention any changes in physical abilities, sleep patterns, mood, or cognitive function, as these could indicate underlying injuries.
Follow your doctor’s treatment recommendations precisely. Attend all follow-up appointments, complete prescribed therapy, and take medications as directed. This not only supports your recovery but also demonstrates that you’re taking your injuries seriously, which strengthens your insurance claim.
Notify Your Insurance Company
Reporting your accident promptly to your insurance company after your accident in Orlando fulfills your contractual obligation to them to report an accident and starts the claims process. Most auto insurance policies require “prompt” notification of accidents, typically within 24-48 hours.
Report the Facts Accurately
When you call your insurance company, provide an honest, factual account of the accident. Stick to what you know happened without speculation or assumption. Avoid using phrases like “I think” or “maybe” when describing the accident sequence.
Inform your insurer about:
- Date, time, and location of the accident
- Weather and road conditions
- Other vehicles and drivers involved
- Any apparent injuries to yourself or others
- The extent of vehicle damage
- Whether police responded and a report was filed
Answer your insurer’s questions truthfully but don’t volunteer information they don’t request. Remember that this conversation may be recorded and could potentially be used later in the claims process.
While you should report the accident promptly, consider consulting with an attorney before giving a recorded statement or accepting an initial settlement offer, especially if you’ve sustained significant injuries.
Understand Your Coverage
Review your insurance policy to understand what coverage applies to your situation. Florida’s no-fault insurance system means your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage will pay for a portion of your medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who caused the accident.
Know the limits of your coverage and how to access benefits. For example, Florida PIP coverage typically pays 80% of medical expenses and 60% of lost wages up to the policy limit (usually $10,000), but you must seek medical treatment within 14 days of the accident to qualify for benefits.
If the other driver was at fault, their bodily injury liability coverage may cover your damages beyond what PIP pays. However, Florida doesn’t require drivers to carry bodily injury coverage, which is why uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is so valuable.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney
After a significant accident, consulting with a personal injury attorney helps protect your rights and ensures you receive fair compensation for your injuries and losses.
When to Call an Attorney
Consider contacting an attorney promptly if your accident involves:
- Significant injuries requiring medical treatment
- Extended time away from work
- Permanent disability or disfigurement
- Disputed liability
- Multiple parties (vehicles, pedestrians, businesses)
- Uninsured or underinsured drivers
- Commercial vehicles like trucks or buses
- Rideshare vehicles (Uber, Lyft)
The sooner you involve an attorney, the better they can protect your interests. Early legal involvement helps preserve evidence, identify witnesses, and prevent mistakes in dealing with insurance companies that could harm your case.
How an Attorney Helps Your Case
An experienced personal injury attorney provides numerous benefits after an accident, particularly when dealing with insurance companies whose primary goal is minimizing payouts.
Your attorney will:
- Handle all communication with insurance companies
- Gather and preserve evidence to support your claim
- Work with medical providers to document your injuries
- Calculate the full value of your damages, including future costs
- Negotiate for maximum compensation
- Represent you in court if a fair settlement can’t be reached
With legal representation, you can focus on recovery while your attorney handles the complex process of pursuing compensation for your injuries and losses.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation
Now you know what to do immediately after an accident in Orlando. From ensuring your safety and documenting the scene to seeking appropriate medical care and understanding your insurance coverage, each action contributes to your physical recovery and financial protection.
We understand that accidents create stress, confusion, and uncertainty about the future. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can guide you through the aftermath, helping you navigate medical treatment, insurance claims, and potential litigation while you focus on healing.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your accident and learn how we can help you secure the compensation you deserve for your injuries, vehicle damage, lost wages, and other accident-related expenses.
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