The following is a list of suggestions from David Resnick & Associates, PC, covering the New York City area – which includes Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn and the Bronx, regarding what you should do after a vehicle wreck in the state of New York.

1. Safety first. If you are involved in a minor accident with no serious injuries, stop your car after the accident and turn off your engine. Make sure it is safe to exit your car. If the car poses a safety threat to other traffic, and if it is possible to do so, move cars to the side of the road, out of the way on oncoming traffic. If a car cannot be moved, remain in your car with your seatbelt fastened until help arrives. Use hazard lights, flares or cones if possible.
2. Call for help. Call 911 for police. They will arrange for an ambulance if necessary. This service is available throughout New York City, including Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn and the Bronx.
3. Exchange information with the other driver or drivers of the cars involved in the accident. Be sure to get the following information: name, address, phone number, employer and work phone number, insurance company, policy number, driver license number and license plate number for the driver and the owner of each vehicle. If the driver's name is different from the name of the insured, establish what the relationship is and take down the name and address for each individual. Also, be sure to get the make, model, color and year of each car.
4. Get details. If possible, photograph and document the accident. To the extent that your medical condition allows you to do so, as soon as possible write down the time and place, the weather and road conditions and a diagram showing the relative positions of the vehicles and he directions from which they were coming or located that the time of the accident. Keep this information for your use, only, because any type of information or any writing that you create is for the purpose of potential litigation and should not be given to anyone other than your personal injury attorney.
5. Talk to witnesses, if any. Try to get their contact information, because they may be able to help if the other drivers dispute your version of what happened.
6. Be quiet. Do not make any comments at the scene or about the accident, such as how the accident happened, or whose fault you think it was. Any comments you make can be used against you when your lawyer seeks to settle the case, or at the trial of your personal injury case.
7. Get medical help. If you are not removed from the scene by an ambulance, be sure to go to an emergency room, or to your doctor for an evaluation. You may feel fine, but people in car accidents often develop pain days later.
8. File an accident report. You should file a state vehicle accident report, available at police stations or online on the Department of Motor Vehicles website. Report the accident to your insurance company, even if you think the other driver is at fault. In order to protect your rights to insurance coverage, your insurance company is entitled to be notified by you about the accident, any injuries to you or other passengers, and damage to the car.
9. Get a lawyer. Contact a car accident attorney who will represent your interests. The attorneys of David Resnick & Associates, PC will research and analyze the facts regarding your claim, work with your insurance company and doctors, prepare all legal documentation and negotiate a fair settlement. We have worked with many victims of car accident injuries in Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Brooklyn and the Bronx, and we understand New York’s strict limited liability laws surrounding personal injury claims caused by car accidents.

For more information:
NY Automobile Accidents
Auto Accident Insurance
Car Accident Legal Glossary
Auto Accident Evaluation Form