Brentwood Law Firm Advises on Critical Steps Drivers Should Take Within 24 Hours of a Car Accident

Brentwood, TN – Patterson Bray PLLC, a local law firm representing injury victims in Middle Tennessee, is urging drivers to understand the critical steps they should take within the first 24 hours after a car accident. The firm highlights common mistakes that can jeopardize injury claims and emphasizes the importance of immediate action.

Summer brings a noticeable uptick in crashes across the region as vacation traffic, road construction, and out-of-town drivers fill local highways and surface streets. Even the most experienced and cautious drivers can find themselves in a collision, which is why every driver should know how to respond when one happens.

The first priority after any crash should always be safety. If possible, drivers need to move to a secure location, call 911, and seek medical attention even if they feel uninjured. During this period, adrenaline can mask symptoms of whiplash, concussions, and internal injuries. Prompt medical care also establishes a record that connects any later-discovered injuries directly to the accident.

“We see people make the same mistakes again and again in those first 24 hours,” said Chris Patterson, Managing Partner at Patterson Bray PLLC. “They skip the ER because they feel okay, or they tell the insurance adjuster more than they should, or they wait too long to call a lawyer. Any one of those things can hurt their case when it comes time to file a claim for compensation.”

Once drivers secure the scene, they should gather as much documentation as possible, including photographs of the vehicles, the surrounding area, and any visible injuries. Drivers should also exchange contact and insurance information with the other party and file a police report, even after seemingly minor collisions.

One of the most common missteps happens in the days that follow, when an insurance adjuster reaches out for a statement. Adjusters often come across as helpful, but they work to limit their company's financial exposure, and a recorded statement that a driver gives before understanding their rights can significantly weaken a claim.

Calling an attorney within those first 24 hours matters nearly as much as calling a doctor. Tennessee enforces a one-year statute of limitations on personal injury claims, and evidence has a way of disappearing well before that deadline arrives. Patterson Bray PLLC offers free consultations to anyone injured in a Brentwood-area crash, and the firm's attorneys know how important it is to step in early to preserve evidence, deal with insurance carriers, and carry the legal load so clients can put their energy into healing.

Patterson Bray PLLC is a Tennessee law firm with offices in Memphis and Brentwood. The firm handles personal injury, business and commercial litigation, estate planning, asset protection, family law, and more. Their attorneys bring more than 20 years of experience to complex car accident and catastrophic injury cases, and they work hard to help Tennessee families recover the compensation they rightfully deserve.