A guide for families / Chapter 1
01
The first days
What to do now, and what can wait.
Documents worth requesting
- The accident report, with the report number and the agency that wrote it.
- Certified copies of the death certificate. You’ll need several.
- Hospital and EMS records, if you have them.
- Insurance policies for the person who died and your household: auto, life and health.
What not to do yet
- Don’t give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurer.
- Don’t sign releases or accept checks you don’t understand.
- Don’t post details about the accident online.
- Don’t throw away the phone, clothing or belongings involved.
Vehicles get repaired or scrapped. Nearby businesses record over their video. Data from the vehicles' event recorders can be lost. A lawyer can send letters asking that evidence be preserved.
Take care of yourselves
Lean on family, faith and community. Let someone else handle the insurance calls. The legal questions can wait a few days. The evidence is what shouldn’t.
When you’re ready to talk, we’ll listen.
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