Steps to Take Immediately After a Personal Injury Accident

Matt Matthews • September 1, 2025

Essential Guidance to Stay Safe and Secure Justice

Surgeons in blue scrubs and caps perform surgery, focused, illuminated, in an operating room.

Personal injuries occur for various reasons, including car, slip-and-fall, truck, and boating accidents. An injury can disrupt your finances due to hefty medical expenses and the inability to work.

Although you may be entitled to compensation for your injury-related losses, you must demonstrate how the negligent actions of the at-fault party led to your losses. You should, therefore, speak with a legal professional after an accident.


A Montgomery personal injury attorney from the Law Office of Richard R. Matthews, Jr. can investigate the incident, gather evidence, and initiate a claim or lawsuit against the negligent party.


What to Do After a Personal Injury Accident

Your actions after a personal injury accident can enhance your wellness and protect your legal rights. Here’s what to do if injured in an accident caused by someone else’s fault:


Seek Immediate Medical Attention

You should seek immediate medical attention even if you feel fine or believe your injuries are minor. Some injuries, including whiplash, concussion, or internal injuries, may not present symptoms immediately. A healthcare provider can reveal hidden injuries and initiate a treatment plan.


A healthcare provider will also document the injuries and treatment plan, which you can rely on to initiate a compensation claim. An insurer can question the severity of your injury if you delay seeking medical attention.


File a Police Accident Report

You should contact Montgomery law enforcement regardless of the severity of the incident. They will generate an accident report that is an official documentation of the accident, detailing important information such as the date, time, and location of the incident, as well as any involved parties and witnesses.

Having a police report can support your insurance claim and any potential legal actions you may take to seek compensation for your injuries. A personal injury lawyer can use the police report to establish liability and support your compensation claim.


Consult a Montgomery Personal Injury Attorney

You should speak with a personal injury lawyer after sustaining an injury in an accident. They can assess the circumstances of the incident and determine whether it's worth pursuing a claim against the negligent party.


A personal injury lawyer will also gather various sources of evidence to support your compensation claim. For example, they can compile bank statements, profit and loss statements, invoices, and pay stubs to prove a lost wages claim.


Most importantly, a personal injury lawyer will advise throughout the claim process so you can make appropriate decisions that protect your legal rights.


Don’t Face the Aftermath of a Personal Accident Alone

You may be entitled to compensation for economic and non-economic damages if injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence. Even so, the at-fault party's insurer may reject your claim or make a low settlement offer that doesn’t match your losses.


However, working with a legal professional can enhance the chances of a positive outcome. A personal injury lawyer can use evidence to negotiate with an insurer or make a compelling case before a jury for a fair settlement value.


Contact our Montgomery personal injury lawyer at the Law Office of Richard R. Matthews, Jr. to understand how to protect your legal rights.

The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. These recoveries and testimonials are not an indication of future results. Every case is different, and regardless of what friends, family, or other individuals may say about what a case is worth, each case must be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances as they apply to the law. The valuation of a case depends on the facts, the injuries, the jurisdiction, the venue, the witnesses, the parties, and the testimony, among other factors.

 

With offices located in downtown Montgomery, The Law Office of Richard F. Matthews, Jr., serves Montgomery County, Pike County, Elmore County, Autauga County, the River Region of Alabama and throughout the State of Alabama, including Montgomery, Troy, Wetumpka, Prattville, Selma and Tuskegee. No attorney-client relationship is established by requesting a consultation or emailing Attorney Richard F. Matthews, Jr.. Information submitted in such communication is not privileged and may be subject to disclosure. 

“Construction workers wearing safety harnesses and helmets climbing a steel framework at a job site.
By Matt Matthews March 1, 2026
Learn how wrongful death claims work after workplace or business fatalities in Alabama. Understand workers’ comp limits and third-party liability options.
“Severe truck and SUV collision at an intersection involving a semi-truck and heavily damaged vehicl
By Matt Matthews March 1, 2026
Learn how black box data and electronic logging devices reveal the truth in fatal truck accidents in Alabama. Understand trucking company liability and key legal steps.
Gavel on wooden block, paper, and person writing in the background.
By Matt Matthews February 1, 2026
Learn how wrongful death claims work in Alabama in 2026. Understand who can file, key legal requirements, timelines, and how families can seek justice after a tragic loss.
Man in blue uniform injured on floor, being helped by others in factory. Yellow helmet nearby.
By Matt Matthews February 1, 2026
Learn the key steps to take after an industrial accident in Alabama. Understand reporting requirements, medical documentation, claim timelines, and common mistakes that can impact your case.
Car accident scene; two damaged vehicles on a road, debris scattered, fire extinguisher nearby.
By Matt Matthews January 13, 2026
Understand your legal rights after a serious car accident in Alabama. Learn how fault, insurance claims, and compensation work under Alabama personal injury law in 2026.
Woman in safety gear tending to a man's injured leg at a manufacturing site.
By Matt Matthews January 13, 2026
Learn how workers’ compensation claims work in Alabama in 2026. Understand eligibility, benefits, reporting deadlines, and what injured workers can do if a claim is delayed or denied.
Person writing on a clipboard with a bandaged hand.
By Matt Matthews December 1, 2025
Learn how Alabama’s strict contributory negligence rule affects personal injury claims, the key exceptions, and how to protect your right to compensation.
Two cars damaged in a collision, with a man and a woman inspecting the damage.
By Matt Matthews December 1, 2025
Learn the essential steps to take immediately after an Alabama automobile accident to protect your legal rights, secure evidence, and strengthen your compensation claim.
Show More