So, let's say that you are minding your own business. It's a beautiful spring day and you're cruising down the road in your car, enjoying the scenery, and obeying all the laws.

You're on a wide boulevard approaching a nearby town. The road has two lanes of traffic going in each direction. You have a green light ahead of and as you pass through it a truck comes hurtling down the hill on your left. The truck driver goes through a red light and slams into you.

You lose control of your car and start to skid from side to side. You remember driver's ed classes and turn into the skid. You regain a little bit control and it looks like you're not going to go into a three sixty. You gently press on the brakes and the car slows down just a little bit.

You start swerving to your right and just barely miss the parked cars on the right hand side of the road. Before you know it you're going into the oncoming traffic lanes on your left. Somehow you manage not to hit anyone head on. But you're quickly approaching a bank of grass that's full of trees.

You go over the curb and up the hill. You slam on the brakes because there's a big tree right ahead of you. Too late. You slam into it. Your seatbelt's wrapped tight around you as your air bags explode.

You are dazed but conscious. Luckily everything seems to work as you move your head from side to side and your hands and legs up and down.

You can open the door to your car and you get out of it.

What do you do next?

Hopefully you have a cell phone on you. The first thing that you will need is medical attention, so call 911. Next, you have to start thinking about filing a claim against the offending driver.

When the police arrive you will file a police report. Now you will have to protect your claim.

If you have a camera with you, or if your cell phone has picture and/or video taking capabilities, record everything you can around the scene of the accident. But don't endanger yourself any further while you're doing this. Next, try getting the names and contact information from any witnesses.

If possible, you should also write down exactly what happened as soon as you can.

After you've received medical attention it is time to contact a personal injury lawyer in order to get their advice about how you should proceed. They will tell you the kinds of records to keep and how you should handle the phone calls that you will be getting from the other person's insurance company.