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Last Modified on May 15, 2026
The time immediately following a car accident can be hectic, but there are certain steps you need to take if you want to protect your right to file a claim against the liable driver. You can find out what to do after a car accident in Oklahoma City now so that you won’t be at a loss should a crash occur.
Steps to Take at the Scene
It’s important for you to remain calm and prioritize your health and safety while you’re at the scene of the crash. You should:
- Check for injuries: Check yourself and others for serious injuries that might require emergency medical services.
- Move to safety: Move yourself and anyone else who needs help to a safe place away from the flow of traffic.
- Call the police: Call to report the accident and stick around to give an official statement to the police.
- Get contact information: Get the other driver’s personal information, including contact information, insurance information, and their driver’s license number.
- Talk to witnesses: If there were any witnesses to the crash, talk to them and get contact information. Your lawyer may want to interview them later.
- Fill out a report: Give an official statement to the police officer who comes to investigate the crash. Be polite and stick to the facts.
- Gather evidence: Take pictures or videos of the crash scene, including all of the vehicles involved. Just be sure to stay out of the way of the official investigation.
- Have your car towed: Make arrangements to have your car towed to a mechanic, body shop, or your home. Otherwise, the police have to have it towed, and you’ll need to pay to have it removed from storage.
Steps to Take After Leaving the Crash Scene
There are three steps you should take immediately after leaving the scene of the accident. You should:
- Seek medical care immediately: Even if you aren’t sure whether you have been seriously injured, you should seek medical care immediately at a local medical facility like Mercy Hospital, Oklahoma City. Some serious injuries don’t show symptoms immediately, and getting an early diagnosis is essential for both protecting your health and that of your eventual legal claim.
- Report the accident to your insurance: In addition to reporting the accident to the police, you should also report it to your insurance company as soon as possible. When you tell them what happened, don’t speculate as to the cause of the accident. Stick to the facts, and don’t accept fault. It could harm your claim.
- Hire a car accident attorney: Once you’re medically stable, your very next step should be to hire an Oklahoma City car accident attorney. Your lawyer can assist you with all aspects of filing your case, from evaluating the evidence to determine whether you have a valid claim to litigating it in court if you are unable to come up with a fair settlement agreement.
While you’re waiting for your lawyer to negotiate a settlement, avoid posting on social media or talking to people about the case. Insurance adjusters look for any evidence they can find to use as a reason to reduce your payments or eliminate your ability to seek damages entirely.
Car Accidents in Oklahoma City by the Numbers
In 2021, there were 21,403 crashes in Oklahoma County. Of those, 5,815 caused injuries, and 103 were fatal. Crashes occur on local interstates like I-35 and surface streets like NE 23rd Street alike and can involve commercial vehicles, large trucks, motorcycles, pedestrians, or bicyclists in addition to regular passenger vehicles.
FAQs
What Is the First Thing You Should Do After a Car Accident?
The first thing you should do after a car accident is check to see if anyone has sustained serious injuries and help everyone involved move away from the flow of traffic to a safe location. You should then call 911 to request a police investigation and, if necessary, emergency medical services for anyone who needs immediate treatment. Stay with your vehicle until the police arrive.
What Happens if an Accident Is Not Reported Within 24 Hours in Oklahoma City?
If an accident is not reported within 24 hours in Oklahoma City, it can have negative consequences for the drivers involved. You’re required by law to report any accident that involved injuries, fatalities, or property damage totaling more than $300 to the police immediately. If you fail to report an accident and someone is injured or killed, you could face charges. You could also wind up facing a civil claim from the other driver.
What Should You Not Say When Making an Insurance Claim?
What you should not say when making an insurance claim is that you were at fault for the accident. You should not apologize for your role in it or say anything else that could be construed as an admission of fault. If you are assigned full or partial fault for the crash, it could decrease the amount of money you are able to collect from the other liable party, or even eliminate the possibility of receiving compensation altogether.
How Long Do You Have to Report an Accident in Oklahoma City?
You do not have long to report an accident in Oklahoma City. You are supposed to call to report it to the police immediately, or as soon as you safely can. If no one was injured or killed and there is no one who files a claim for property damage incurred during the crash, you have up to six months under OS 47-10-108 to report the crash to the Department of Public Safety.
Hire a Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you’ve been in a motor vehicle crash, it’s time to hire a car accident lawyer to help you file your claim. The team here at Fulmer Sill is here to help. We’ve been practicing personal injury law for years. In that time, we’ve handled countless car accident cases and learned how to advocate effectively for our clients. We can help you, too. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation about your car accident case today.
