You’ve made sure everyone is all right and gathered required information. Now here’s the tough part – actually looking at the damage to all the vehicles from your recent car accident. Whether you are dealing with a claim in Vancouver, Washington, any other location in Southwest Washington or the Portland Metropolitan area, the Law Offices of Loren Etengoff are here to help.

Focus on gathering facts

As you survey your car, do your best to keep your emotions in check. While that may be difficult (especially with adrenaline running through your system at the moment), refrain from saying anything that you might later regret.

Inspect the damage from your recent car accident

Walk slowly around your vehicle and other vehicles involved in the accident, and write down what you see.

• Is there any damage?
• What is the extent of the damage?
• Is there any part of the vehicle pushed in, up, or out?
• Is anything broken, such as a lens on a taillight or headlight?

Remember, if it’s dark and the lights on your vehicle do not work, call a tow truck.

Walk in the same direction around each vehicle. For example, if you walk from the back to the front of your vehicle, approaching the driver’s side first, go through the same pattern when viewing the other driver’s vehicle.

Remember to make notes about the date, time, and place of the recent car accident

Write a few words about the road conditions, the weather, and the traffic at the time. Is road construction in progress? Were there any other distractions on the road or inside the vehicle at the time?

Sometimes drawing a quick diagram can help you recall details later. What was the direction in which the vehicles were traveling when the accident occurred? What was the position of the vehicles before and after the crash? Make a quick sketch or take a photo of any damage with your cell phone, if that feature is available. Some cell phones can take photos and email them as well, so if the other driver or any passengers are taking photos, ask them to send copies to you.