A collision on an interstate presents challenges that you may not encounter on a neighborhood street. Fast-moving traffic can continue passing within feet of damaged vehicles, while injuries and confusion make it harder to decide what to do next.
If you have been involved in a car accident on I-65 or I-85 near Montgomery, concentrate first on getting through the immediate situation safely. Afterward, preserving evidence and documenting your losses can protect your ability to pursue an Alabama injury claim.
Steps to Take Following an Interstate Crash in Montgomery
The actions that make sense after a wreck depend on your injuries, vehicle condition, and surroundings. Alabama law also imposes duties on motorists involved in collisions. Following a practical sequence can help you address immediate concerns without overlooking information that could become important later.
Step 1: Stop and Evaluate Your Surroundings
Alabama requires a motorist involved in a collision causing injury, death, or damage to an attended vehicle to stop at the scene or as close as possible and remain nearby while fulfilling other statutory duties. The stop should not obstruct traffic more than necessary.
Whether you should move the automobile depends partly on the circumstances. When nobody appears injured or killed, the driver is not impaired, and the vehicle remains operable, Alabama law allows it to be moved to a shoulder, emergency lane, median, or another safe location nearby. A vehicle involved in a wreck causing injury or death should remain in place until law enforcement directs otherwise.
Avoid standing in a travel lane or between vehicles. Preventing a secondary collision should remain a priority.
Step 2: Get Medical and Emergency Assistance
Call 911 when someone is injured or emergency assistance is needed. Alabama law requires drivers involved in qualifying collisions to render reasonable aid to injured people, including arranging transportation for medical treatment when necessary or requested.
Do not assume that a lack of immediate pain means you escaped injury. Adrenaline and stress can make symptoms less noticeable at first.
Tell medical professionals what you are experiencing without minimizing or exaggerating your condition. Treatment records can also document when symptoms appeared and what care became necessary.
Step 3: Record Details About the Interstate Location
Knowing exactly where an Interstate 65 accident happened can matter during a later investigation. Montgomery’s highway system includes interchanges, entrance ramps, merging lanes, and stretches where identifying the precise crash site afterward may be difficult.
When it is safe, record the nearest:
- Exit number,
- Mile marker,
- Interchange,
- Overpass, and
- Road sign.
Montgomery’s interstate corridors also have a documented history of serious wrecks. The Montgomery MPO’s Safety Action Plan analyzed fatal and suspected serious injury crashes from 2017 through 2023.
Its Montgomery County analysis identified multiple I-65 and I-85 segments among locations experiencing fatal or serious injury collisions.
Step 4: Preserve Evidence Without Endangering Yourself
Photographs can capture information that disappears once wrecked automobiles are removed and traffic begins flowing normally.
If conditions permit, photograph vehicle damage, debris, road conditions, skid marks, and relevant traffic signs. Capture wider views along with close images of significant damage.
Never enter an active lane to obtain a picture. Other sources may provide evidence that you cannot safely collect yourself.
Witness information can be valuable as well. Ask anyone who stopped after seeing the crash for their name and contact details.
Step 5: Exchange the Required Information
Alabama law requires drivers involved in qualifying crashes to provide their name, address, and vehicle registration number. A motorist must also show their driver’s license upon request.
Obtain insurance details from the other driver. When several vehicles are involved, try to identify each motorist without attempting to decide responsibility at the roadside.
Keep conversations factual. An Interstate 65 accident can involve merging traffic, rapid lane changes, or multiple impacts, making the complete sequence difficult to understand immediately.
Step 6: Be Careful When an Insurer Contacts You
An insurance adjuster may call before you have seen a crash report or fully understand your injuries. Provide accurate information, but avoid guessing about speed, distance, or something you did not observe.
Fault disputes deserve particular attention because Alabama follows contributory negligence. An insurer may examine your conduct to determine whether it can argue that you contributed to the collision. Commercial vehicle crashes can raise additional issues. If a semi-truck or company vehicle was involved, records concerning the driver, employer, vehicle, or electronic systems may require investigation.
A Montgomery car accident lawyer can communicate with insurers and examine available evidence before important decisions are made.
Step 7: Keep Track of Your Losses
A claim should account for more than visible automobile damage. Maintain records showing how the collision has affected your finances and health.
Useful documentation may include:
- Medical expenses,
- Prescription costs,
- Lost-income records,
- Repair estimates, and
- Accident-related receipts.
Continue updating these records throughout your recovery. Surgery, rehabilitation, future treatment, reduced earning ability, or permanent limitations can create losses that are not apparent shortly after impact.
Step 8: Consider Whether You Need Legal Assistance
Not every highway collision requires an attorney. Serious injuries, disputed liability, multiple vehicles, commercial drivers, or insurance disagreements can make professional assistance more valuable.
After a car accident on I-65, a lawyer can investigate independently rather than relying solely on the insurer’s conclusions. That work may include locating witnesses, preserving video, reviewing physical evidence, obtaining records, and documenting damages.
Fob James Law Firm represents injured plaintiffs rather than insurance companies or defendants. Our attorneys intentionally maintain a limited caseload, provide direct lawyer access, and prepare serious claims with the possibility of litigation in mind.
Move Forward with a Plan After Your Montgomery Crash
An interstate wreck can leave you trying to manage medical treatment, transportation problems, insurance calls, and unexpected expenses simultaneously. Breaking the process into manageable steps can make the aftermath less confusing.
If you were seriously hurt in a car accident on I-65 or I-85, Fob James Personal Injury Lawyers can help you determine what needs attention next.
Our plaintiff-only practice has recovered more than $100 million for injured clients, including multiple seven-figure results. Past outcomes do not guarantee a particular recovery, but they reflect the experience we bring to substantial injury matters.
A Montgomery car accident lawyer from our firm can investigate the collision, preserve relevant evidence, and explain your options during a free consultation.
Official Legal and Other Sources
To ensure the accuracy and clarity of this page, we referenced official legal resources during the content development process:
- Alabama Code § 32-10-1, Duties of Driver Involved in Motor Vehicle Accident; Removal of Vehicle from Roadway
- Alabama Code § 32-10-2, Duty to Give Information and Render Aid
- Montgomery Metropolitan Planning Organization
Fob James, IV
Fob James obtained a B.S., in software engineering from Auburn University and then continued his education by getting his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law. After working for a large national firm for several years, Fob found that his passion was fighting for individuals who have been seriously injured or wronged by others. Fob believes that the jury is the great equalizer to the power and influence that large corporations have in society. Many of Fob’s cases are high profile and have been featured in, among others: Bloomberg News, PlanAdvisor, AL.com, PlanSponsor, InsuranceJournal, and BusinessInsider. For his work in obtaining numerous multi-million dollar outcomes for his clients, Fob has been recognized by: National Trial Lawyers Top 100, SuperLawyers Rising Star (2020-2026), Birmingham Business Journal Who’s Who in Law (2023-2025), and TrustAnalytica – Top Personal Injury Lawyers in Alabama.