What To Do After a Car Accident | Dean & Camper Injury Lawyers

Your Action Plan

10 Steps To Take After a Car Accident

Follow these steps in order. Each one protects your health, your legal rights, or both.

Check for Injuries & Call 911

Your safety comes first. Check yourself and all passengers for injuries before doing anything else. Call 911 immediately — even if injuries seem minor. A police report is essential for your insurance claim and any future lawsuit, and paramedics can identify injuries you may not feel right away due to adrenaline.

ⓘ Never assume you are uninjured. Adrenaline and shock can mask serious injuries like traumatic brain injury, internal bleeding, and spinal damage. Symptoms may not appear for hours or days.

Move to Safety If Possible

If the vehicles are drivable and it is safe to do so, move them out of traffic to a shoulder or nearby parking area to prevent secondary accidents. Turn on hazard lights and, if available, set out flares or warning triangles. If vehicles cannot be moved or anyone is seriously injured, stay put and wait for emergency services.

Call the Police & Wait for the Report

A police report is one of the most important documents in your car accident claim. Officers will document the scene, identify witnesses, note traffic violations, and may assign fault. Request the report number before you leave so you can obtain a copy later. In Florida, crashes involving injury, death, or property damage over $500 must be reported to law enforcement.

ⓘ In Alabama, any accident involving injury, death, or property damage must also be reported. Even if police do not respond to a minor crash, file a report yourself with the local law enforcement agency.

Exchange Information With All Drivers

Get the following from every driver involved: full name, address, phone number, driver's license number, license plate number, insurance company name, and policy number. Do this even if the crash seems minor. Also note the make, model, year, and color of each vehicle involved.

Document the Scene Thoroughly

Use your phone to take photos and video of everything: all vehicle damage (including the undercarriage if safe), skid marks, debris, road conditions, traffic signs, weather, and any visible injuries. Photograph the full scene from multiple angles before anything is moved. This visual evidence is often the most powerful proof in a disputed liability case.

ⓘ Take photos of the other driver's license, insurance card, and license plate as backup in case written notes are lost.

Identify & Talk to Witnesses

Independent eyewitnesses can be critical to establishing fault. Before they leave the scene, get the name and phone number of anyone who saw the accident. Bystanders, pedestrians, and drivers of other vehicles can all serve as witnesses. If they are willing, ask them what they saw and record their statement on your phone.

Seek Medical Attention Immediately

See a doctor as soon as possible — ideally the same day. Even if you feel fine, get evaluated. Many serious injuries, including whiplash, concussions, herniated discs, and internal injuries, do not produce immediate pain. A gap in medical treatment gives insurance companies ammunition to argue your injuries were not caused by the accident or were not serious.

ⓘ Florida PIP (Personal Injury Protection) requires you to seek treatment within 14 days of the accident to access your no-fault benefits. Missing this window can forfeit up to $10,000 in coverage.

Notify Your Insurance Company

Report the accident to your own insurance company promptly. You are typically required to do so under your policy terms. Provide only the basic facts: date, time, location, and the vehicles involved. Do not speculate about fault or discuss the extent of your injuries — leave that conversation for after you have spoken with an attorney.

Do Not Give a Recorded Statement to the Other Driver's Insurer

The other driver's insurance company will likely call you quickly — sometimes within hours of the accident — requesting a recorded statement. You are under no legal obligation to provide one. These statements are used to find inconsistencies that minimize or deny your claim. Politely decline and tell them you are consulting an attorney.

ⓘ Do not accept any quick settlement offers before you know the full extent of your injuries. Once you sign a release, you give up all future rights to compensation — even if your injuries turn out to be far more serious than initially thought.

Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney

The sooner you involve an experienced car accident lawyer, the better your outcome is likely to be. An attorney can preserve critical evidence, deal with insurance companies on your behalf, calculate the full value of your damages (including future medical costs and lost earning capacity), and fight for the compensation you deserve. At Dean & Camper, consultations are always free and you pay nothing unless we win.

ⓘ Call us 24/7: Pensacola (850) 433-3077 | Fort Walton Beach (850) 796-3077 | Destin (850) 269-7105 | Mobile (251) 283-0577

Know Your State's Law

Florida vs. Alabama — Key Legal Differences

The state where your accident occurred significantly affects your rights and your recovery. Our attorneys are licensed in both Florida and Alabama.

🇫🇱 Florida Law

No-fault (PIP) state — your own PIP insurance covers up to $10,000 in medical and lost wages regardless of fault, but you must seek treatment within 14 days.
Modified comparative negligence — your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are more than 50% at fault, you cannot recover.
Statute of limitations: 2 years from the date of the accident (§95.11).
Minimum insurance: $10,000 PIP / $10,000 PDL required. Bodily injury liability is not required but strongly recommended.
Serious injury threshold must be met to sue the at-fault driver for pain and suffering beyond PIP limits.

🇦🇱 Alabama Law

At-fault state — no PIP — all claims go through the at-fault driver's liability insurance. There is no automatic first-party medical coverage.
Pure contributory negligence — if you are found even 1% at fault, you may be completely barred from recovering any compensation. This is one of the harshest rules in the country.
Statute of limitations: 2 years from the date of the accident (§6-2-38).
Minimum insurance: $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury / $25,000 property damage.
Because of contributory negligence, having an experienced Alabama attorney is especially critical to protect your claim.

⚠ Alabama's contributory negligence rule is extreme. Even a minor traffic infraction by you — failing to signal, slightly exceeding the speed limit — could be used to deny your claim entirely. Do not speak to any insurance adjuster without an attorney.

When You Need an Attorney

You Should Call a Car Accident Lawyer If…

Many people wonder whether their case is serious enough to involve an attorney. The answer is almost always yes — but especially in these situations:

🩹

You Were Injured

Any injury — even one that seems minor at first — warrants legal representation. Medical bills add up quickly, and long-term consequences may not be apparent for weeks or months.

🚫

Fault Is Disputed

When the other driver blames you or the insurance company disputes who caused the crash, an attorney can investigate, gather evidence, and build a compelling case on your behalf.

📄

The Insurance Offer Seems Low

First settlement offers are almost always lower than the true value of your claim. An experienced attorney knows what your case is actually worth and won't let you settle for less.

🚘

A Commercial Vehicle Was Involved

Trucking companies, rideshare companies, and commercial fleets have aggressive legal teams. You need experienced counsel on your side from day one.

🏎

The Driver Was Uninsured

Recovering from an uninsured or underinsured driver requires navigating your own UM/UIM policy. An attorney knows how to maximize every available source of recovery.

💔

A Family Member Was Killed

Wrongful death claims are among the most complex in personal injury law. Surviving family members may be entitled to substantial compensation for their loss.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

In Florida, you generally have 2 years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit (Florida Statutes §95.11). You must also notify your own insurance company of a PIP claim promptly — typically within 14 days of the accident. Do not wait to consult an attorney.

In Alabama, the statute of limitations for personal injury claims is 2 years from the date of the accident (Code of Alabama §6-2-38). Alabama does not have no-fault PIP coverage, so all claims go through the at-fault driver's liability insurance. Missing this deadline bars your claim entirely.

If the at-fault driver has no insurance, you may be able to recover through your own Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage. UM coverage is one of the most important protections you can carry. An attorney can review all available insurance policies — including your own — to identify every source of recovery.

No. You are not legally required to give a recorded statement to the other driver's insurance company, and doing so can seriously harm your claim. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions that minimize your payout. Consult an attorney before speaking with any insurance representative.

Florida uses comparative negligence — your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault, but you can still recover even if you were partially at fault. Alabama uses contributory negligence, which is far harsher: if you are found even 1% at fault, you may be barred from recovering anything. This makes having an experienced attorney even more critical in Alabama cases.

The value of your case depends on the severity of your injuries, your medical expenses (past and future), lost wages, pain and suffering, and the available insurance coverage. Our attorneys have recovered over $50 million for Gulf Coast accident victims, including individual settlements of $3.5M and $1.85M. Every case is different — contact us for a free evaluation.