What To Do After a Car Accident in the Carolinas

WE ARE HERE FOR YOU 24/7

What To Do After a Car Accident in the Carolinas

Car accidents are an unfortunate reality of day-to-day life in the Carolinas, and they can leave a lasting and devastating impact on you and your family’s physical, mental and financial health. According to the NC Department of Transportation, North Carolina alone was the site of nearly 320,000 car accidents in 2019, and there were almost 1,500 fatalities as a result.

What's On This Page

It is common to feel confused and disoriented in the immediate aftermath of a car accident. That’s why it’s important to know what steps to take after an accident – and what actions to avoid – to protect yourself and any potential legal claims you may have. If you’ve been injured in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, the experienced car accident attorneys at The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor are here to help. For your free consultation, call us today at (800) 351-3008 or schedule an appointment online.

Important Steps To Take After a Car Accident

Car accidents can be highly stressful. While this sounds somewhat obvious, it’s hard to truly capture all the emotions and feelings you might experience after an accident involving significant injury or property damage. Your adrenaline could be through the roof and contributing to a sense of confusion, anger, or shock.

As difficult as it may be, you must try to maintain a clear head and a sense of calm when you’re involved in a car accident. Keeping cool can help you document essential details that may prove helpful if you file an accident claim or a lawsuit. So if you’re involved in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, follow these steps as closely as possible:

Stop Your Vehicle, Get to Safety and Call 911

The first thing to do after a car accident is to stop your vehicle – leaving the scene of a car accident is a serious crime. Check for any apparent injuries among the involved parties. Move any involved vehicles safely out of the roadway and onto the shoulder, if possible, while prioritizing your own safety. Then call the police to report the accident as well as any injuries.
Calling the police to report the accident is essential, even if someone else tries to convince you not to contact them. A police report can be a valuable source of information for any future legal claims, and you should let them focus on investigating the facts. Often, there are other factors or variables involved that you may not be immediately aware of. Give the police your understanding of the basic facts without admitting fault or blaming the other driver. Make sure you request a copy of the report and the reporting officer’s name and phone number.

Get Medical Attention

If you or another person in the accident are injured, try not to move until emergency personnel have reached the scene. It’s important to note that some injuries may not be obvious at first. Adrenaline can flood your body and mask painful symptoms until you’ve had a chance to calm down. So even if you don’t require immediate care on the scene or an ambulance, you need to get checked out ASAP by a doctor.

When talking to your doctor, describe any problems or injuries you are experiencing with as much detail as possible. Their official medical documentation can be critical to future legal claims. Also, make sure you save any receipts for medical expenses and any diagnostic imagery like X-rays. An experienced car accident attorney may be able to help you recover these expenses down the road.

Document the Accident and Photograph Everything

Detailed documentation of an accident scene can make all the difference for any potential legal claims. Fortunately, most people today have phones with great cameras. From a variety of angles, photograph and take video of the position of the vehicles, the damage incurred, road conditions, license plate numbers of the other drivers involved, and details that can help provide context for what happened.

Talk to Witnesses and Collect Contact Information

If there are witnesses to your accident, either observers or anyone who stopped to help afterward, move quickly to gather their name and contact information. Often, these witnesses will leave the scene before police arrive, so don’t hesitate. Their statements may help substantiate any legal claims in the future.

It will also be helpful to collect the contact and insurance information of any other drivers involved in the accident. If a driver is uninsured, then ask for an address and direct phone number. Get as many of these details as possible, such as:

  • Full name and detailed contact information, including a phone number if they are willing to provide that
  • Insurance information, including their policy number
  • License plate number and driver’s license
  • Vehicle make, model, and color

Don’t Admit Fault

After an accident, don’t admit fault of any sort, especially to an insurance adjuster. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should lie to the adjuster or the police. Just state the facts as you understand them, but don’t try to explain why the crash happened. When insurance companies or another driver’s attorneys are trying to establish fault in an accident, these statements could come back to haunt you.

Call The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor

To protect yourself and any potential legal claims, we recommend that you contact an experienced car accident lawyer at The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor immediately after your accident. That way, we can take over communications with insurance companies and opposing lawyers ASAP. It’s easy to get in over your head when dealing with tons of paperwork, emails, and phone calls from insurance companies that want to close out your claim as quickly and as favorably (to them) as they can.

Having a trusted resource in your corner can also reduce the stress you’re feeling after an accident. It’s very common to have a lot of questions during this time. We’ll help you get answers to questions such as:

  • How will I pay for all these medical bills?
  • How will I pay for the repair and replacement of my car?
  • How will I support myself and my family if I can’t work?
  • Can I be compensated for lost earnings in the future as a result of my accident?

Act Quickly and Confidently With The Help of an Experienced Car Accident Attorney

Every moment matters when you or a loved one is injured in a car accident. At The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, we take pride in helping our clients navigate this stressful period with compassionate and comprehensive legal representation. We’re real humans who like to help out other humans, and we’ll never treat you like just another case.

Our hard-earned track record includes recovering millions* for clients who suffered from car accidents caused by other people’s negligence. Nobody should have to fight alone to receive justice and fair compensation for their suffering. Let us help you maximize any legal compensation that you may be entitled to. For your free consultation, call us today at (800) 351-3008 or schedule an appointment online.

Contact our Personal Injury Attorneys

Contact us today to speak with one of our Charlotte, Hickory, Greenville, Rock Hill, or Columbia attorneys.

120 3rd St NE
Hickory, NC 28601

Phone: (828) 327-9004
Toll Free: (800) 351-3008

130 Church St NE
Concord, NC 28025

Phone: (704) 787-9419
Toll Free: (800) 351-3008

301 S McDowell St #1016
Charlotte, NC 28204

Phone: (704) 676-1093
Toll Free: (800) 351-3008

1348 Ebenezer Rd #103
Rock Hill, SC 29732

Phone: (803) 980-5300
Toll Free: (800) 351-3008

Share via:
LEgally Reviewed by:
Picture of Jason E. Taylor
Jason E. Taylor

Reviewed as of 2025

What To Do After a Car Accident in the Carolinas
Contact Us Today

Free Consultation
Call one of our Operators 24/7
(800) 351-3008

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

By entering your phone number, you agree to receive text messages and updates via SMS. Message and data rates may apply.

Testimonials
Watch Our New Commerical
Screen Shot 2021-06-25 at 8.21.27 PM
Our Practice Areas
Contact Us Today

Free Consultation
Call one of our Operators 24/7
(800) 351-3008

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
News From Our Blog

Notice of Data Security Event
Updated March 28, 2025

The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor is providing notice of an event that may affect certain individuals’ information. Although we have no indication of identity theft or fraud in relation to this event, we are providing information about the event, our response, and additional measures individuals can take to help protect their information, should they feel it appropriate to do so.

What Happened? On October 28, 2024, The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor identified suspicious activity related to our email system. We quickly took steps to investigate and determined that an unknown actor may have accessed certain emails within our email system between August 7 and November 7, 2024. We then conducted a comprehensive review of the potentially affected emails and attachments to determine what information was contained therein and to whom the information related, which was completed on February 25, 2025. Unfortunately, we were unable to verify the addresses of certain affected individuals, so we are providing this notice to ensure potentially affected individuals receive information about the event.

What Information Was Involved? The information affected may include individuals’ Social Security number, driver’s license and state ID information, financial account number, and health information.

What We Are Doing. We are notifying individuals about this matter and providing guidance about free resources that are available to assist with monitoring relevant accounts, credit reports, and how to place a fraud alert or security freeze on one’s credit file. Further, as with our typical security practices, we will continue to evaluate our policies, procedures, staff training, and technical security measures to reduce the likelihood of an event like this reoccurring.

What Individuals Can Do. We encourage you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. We also recommend you review the below “Steps Individuals Can Take To Help Protect Personal Information”.

For More Information. If individuals have questions about this matter, we have a dedicated assistance line with agents ready to answer their questions. Please contact our toll-free dedicated assistance line at 1-800-939-4170, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. through 9 p.m., excluding holidays. You may also write to us at The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, Attn: Compliance, P.O. Box 2688, Hickory, NC 28603.

Sincerely,

The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor

STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

Monitor Your Accounts

Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Consumers may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of their credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If consumers are the victim of identity theft, they are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should consumers wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in a consumer’s name without consent. However, consumers should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application they make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, consumers cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on their credit report. To request a credit freeze, individuals may need to provide some or all of the following information:

1. Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. Addresses for the prior two to five years;
5. Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, etc.); and
7. A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if they are a victim of identity theft.

Should consumers wish to place a credit freeze or fraud alert, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

Equifax Experian TransUnion
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/ https://www.experian.com/help/

https://www.transunion.com/credit-help
1-888-298-0045 1-888-397-3742 1-800-916-8800
Equifax Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 Experian Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
Equifax Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 Experian Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094

Additional Information

Consumers may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps they can take to protect their personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state attorney general. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Consumers can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Consumers have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, consumers will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the relevant state attorney general. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.

For District of Columbia residents, the District of Columbia Attorney General may be contacted at: 400 6th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001; 1-202-442-9828; and oag.dc.gov.

For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-576-6300 or 1-888-743-0023; and https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/.

For New Mexico residents, consumers have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in their credit file has been used against them, the right to know what is in their credit file, the right to ask for their credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting bureaus must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to consumers’ files is limited; consumers must give consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; consumers may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance based on information in their credit report; and consumers may seek damages from violators. Consumers may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active-duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage consumers to review their rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580.

For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov.

For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov.

For Rhode Island residents, the Rhode Island Attorney General may be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903; 1-401-274-4400; and www.riag.ri.gov. Under Rhode Island law, individuals have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this event.
STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT A MINOR DEPENDENT’S PERSONAL INFORMATION

Typically, credit reporting agencies do not have a credit report in a minor’s name. To find out if a minor has a credit report or to request a manual search for a minor’s Social Security number each credit bureau has its own process. To learn more about these processes or request these services, consumers may contact the credit bureaus by phone, writing, or online:
Equifax Experian TransUnion
https://www.equifax.com/personal/help/article-list/-/h/a/request-child-credit-report/
https://www.experian.com/help/minor-request.html
https://www.transunion.com/fraud-victim-resources/child-identity-theft

1-800-685-1111 1-888-397-3742 1-800-916-8800
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013 P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

To request information about the existence of a credit file in a minor’s name, search for a minor’s Social Security number, place a security freeze or fraud alert on a minor’s credit report (if one exists), or request a copy of a minor’s credit report consumers may be required to provide the following information:
● A copy of their driver’s license or another government issued identification card, such as a state identification card, etc.;
● Proof of address, such as a copy of a bank statement, utility bill, insurance statement, etc.;
● A copy of the minor’s birth certificate;
● A copy of the minor’s Social Security card;
● The minor’s full name, including middle initial and generation, such as JR, SR, II, III, etc.;
● The minor’s date of birth; and
● The minor’s previous addresses for the past two years.

Join our newsletter and get 20% discount
Promotion nulla vitae elit libero a pharetra augue