No one anticipates being in a car accident. When it happens, you often aren’t thinking clearly and there can be a lot going on. People often ask me what information they need if they are in a motor vehicle accident.

Here’s a list of very helpful information to obtain from the other driver:

-Take a picture of their driver’s license if possible. If not possible, ask to see their license and write down their name, address and license number and state.

-Take a picture of the vehicle’s registration. This is important because it contains the insurance information and the name and address of the legal owner of the vehicle.

-Take a picture of the license plate and of the vehicle and the property damage to both cars.

Don’t be afraid to call the police. They will come and often times, they will write an exchange form for each driver and it will have the necessary information needed to file a claim. If the other party is insistent about not calling the police or if they aren’t forthcoming with information, they are likely hiding something. Their insurance may have been cancelled or their license suspended. These are things that you need to know.

If you have been injured, you should seek medical attention. Oftentimes, people feel fine after an accident and then wake up the next day or the day after in pain. In Massachusetts, we have what’s called Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits to cover medical expenses resulting from a motor vehicle accident so it’s always a safer call to get checked out.