Being in a car accident is something nobody ever expects to happen to them. Unfortunately, it happens to thousands of people across the United States each day. Hopefully, if you are ever in an auto accident, there won't be any serious injury or property damage. Still, it's never a bad idea to be prepared. By knowing what to do in the event that you're injured in a car accident, you can take the proper steps and avoid making some common mistakes that could affect your case later on.

Gather Witness Statements

If there were any witnesses to your accident—especially if you believe the accident to be somebody else's fault—do your best to gather contact information from witnesses after the accident. This way, if you need a witness to testify in court or if local police need witness information to complete a report, you'll already be one step ahead of the game. 

File a Police Report

It's also imperative that you file a police report after your auto accident, so long as the incident took place on a public road. Basically, the only exceptions to this would be an accident that occurs in a private parking lot or residential driveway. A police report will be important for a number of reasons, including the processing of your insurance claim and (depending on where you live) determining who was at-fault for the accident. 

Contact Your Insurance Company

Don't delay contacting your auto insurance company to report the accident to them. And of course, be sure to gather the insurance information of any other drivers involved with the accident. More than likely, your insurance agent will want to begin the claims process right away—especially if it is believed that another driver was at-fault for the accident.

Consult With a Car Accident Attorney

Even if you receive a settlement offer from the other driver's insurance company shortly after the accident, it's important to consult with a car accident attorney before moving forward. There's a good chance that the offer you were given isn't anywhere near what you're actually entitled to, especially if you accumulated hefty medical bills as a result of your injuries. 

Hopefully, you'll never be in a situation where you need to know what to do after being injured in a car accident. Still, being prepared for the unexpected is a good way to protect yourself should you ever need to file an injury claim down the road.