After you leave the scene of a car accident, there are important steps you can take to protect any insurance claim you have. This article outlines 13 key tips to help you protect your case.

TIP #1: Seek medical treatment promptly. If you do not go to the hospital immediately after the accident, go to your family physician as soon as possible. Tell your doctor about all of your medical problems. If your symptoms persist after the initial visit, return to your doctor and request referrals to specialists who can help you.

TIP #2: Contact your insurance company and tell them that you had an accident. Request accident benefit forms. Make sure you meet the deadline to complete the forms. (You should consider meeting with a lawyer before giving a sworn statement to any insurance company or adjuster.)

TIP #3: Take inventory of personal property lost due to the accident. Broken glasses and watches or cut away shoes may be replaceable through your accident benefits.

TIP #4: Keep all medical appointments... and always tell your doctors about all of your areas of pain. You should never exaggerate your symptoms, but you should also not minimize your ailments when talking with your doctors. This is not a time to be stoic. Make sure you tell your doctor about each and every symptom, including emotional concerns, fears and anxieties. If you see any other doctors or therapists, make sure that you tell both your current doctor and your lawyer immediately.

TIP #5: Do not talk to anyone about the accident... except your doctor or lawyer. In Ontario when you are in an accident, you will deal with at least two insurance companies: yours and the other driver's. If there are more drivers, there will be more insurers.... Be careful about speaking with the insurers and their adjusters or lawyers without notifying your lawyer so that he/she may be present if necessary.

TIP #6: Keep any legal advice you receive to yourself. If you are considering filing a lawsuit as a result of the accident, your doctor's records will likely become part of the record on the lawsuit. While your lawyer and doctor are on the same team (YOURS!), you should generally not repeat to your doctor what your lawyer tells you about the law suit in case it is recorded in the doctor's notes and is then disclosed to the insurance company's lawyer.

TIP #7: Conduct a complete investigation. It is extremely important that you or your lawyer collect all witness statements, police reports, medical reports and anything else related to your accident. To properly investigate, specialized engineers or detectives may need to be hired. The other party's insurance company will collect all sorts of information that may be used against you. You could be at a serious disadvantage if you do not conduct a thorough investigation.

TIP #8: Get photographs of all important elements in your case as soon as possible -- and record the date the photos were taken. If you are in a car accident, you should take photographs of your car and the car that hit you, the accident scene and your injuries. If you are bruised, make sure the lighting is adequate and that the bruising is apparent in the pictures. Pictures are clear proof of what happened to you. Juries find photos to be powerful proof of your injuries. If you have taken pictures, tell your lawyer and provide him with the photographs or negatives.

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