If you are in an accident involving injuries or property damage, there are a few basic guidelines you should follow. These steps will help you avoid hassles with claims adjusters and assist you in obtaining fair compensation for your injuries and damages.

Go to the nearest hospital emergency room or to your personal physician. An injury, if untreated, may become substantially worse. If you fail to seek treatment or delay in obtaining medical attention, an insurance adjuster may suspect that you are not genuinely injured and discount your claim.

If someone is seriously injured, call 911 or the police and tell them an ambulance is needed. Make the injured person as comfortable as possible, but do not move him or her unless it is absolutely necessary to avoid further injury.

3. Insist on a police investigation and report.

In many cases, there are no witnesses and you and the other driver may have conflicting versions of how the accident happened. If you do not request a police investigation, you may seriously damage your chances of obtaining full compensation, or may be blamed for an accident that is not your fault.

4. Do not move your vehicle while waiting for police to arrive.

Unless your vehicle poses an immediate hazard to other traffic, it is important that you leave it in the same position that it came to rest after the accident. Ask the other driver not to move his or her vehicle until the police arrive. The single most important piece of evidence that the police officer has for determining fault is the position of the vehicles after the accident.

5. If you are injured, tell the police officer.

The first record of your injuries will be contained in the investigating officer's report. If you fail to mention to the police officer that you are injured, it may create suspicion in the mind of the insurance adjuster (who will ultimately evaluate your claim) that you were not hurt. Occasionally, the officer will ask if you are injured. However, if the officer does not ask if you are injured, or assumes that you are not hurt, let the officer know immediately of any injuries.

6. Obtain names and telephone numbers of eyewitnesses.

Often, by the time a police officer arrives at the scene, witnesses to a collision are gone. Therefore, it is very important for you to identify any witnesses and write down their names, addresses, and telephone numbers.

7. File your accident report when required by law.

You are not required to file an accident report when the collision is investigated by a law enforcement officer who files a report. You may, however, file your own report if you wish or if you disagree with the details reported by an officer.

8. If you have a serious injury, do not try to settle your own claim. 

If you have suffered injury requiring follow-up medical attention, you should consider hiring an attorney to represent you. An experienced personal injury attorney will generally make sure that you receive the compensation that is due to you, usually more than you will be offered in settlement by an insurance adjuster, even after attorney fees are paid.

If you choose to accept a settlement for your injury without seeking legal representation, you may receive a settlement that does not fairly compensate you for permanent injuries and damages. Once a claim is settled, it can never be re-opened. The best rule is not to sign a release form for at least six months following an injury. If you are uncertain about whether to settle, talk to an attorney who handles personal injury cases.

Most attorneys handle injury cases on a contingent fee basis, meaning there is no charge unless they recover compensation for you. You are responsible for out-of-pocket expenses, called costs, advanced by you attorney. There is usually no charge to review your claim with an attorney.

 9. Report your loss to your insurance company, but do not give a statement to the other driver's insurance adjuster.

The odds are that a claims adjuster for the other driver will be assigned to your claim before you have been able to retain an attorney. This may occur within one or two days of the accident. The adjuster will request permission to take a recorded or written statement.

If you are considering hiring an attorney, you should not give a statement to an insurance adjuster for the other driver. Statements made can seriously prejudice your case without your knowledge. Instead, tell the adjuster that you have decided to hire an attorney, and instruct him or her to refer all further questions to your attorney.

10. Your time for making a claim is limited by law.

As mentioned earlier, with every injury or death claim, there is a period of time during which you must file your claim with the court or the claim cannot be brought. This Is called a "statute of limitation".