Top 10 Things To Do After A Car Accident
Posted by admin at 27 June 2019, at 12 : 06 PM
Did you know that more than six million car accidents occur in the US every year? That’s a lot of accidents. It’s important to know that not every accident that is recorded is a huge, catastrophic event. These accidents include the fender benders and those that just prang the vehicle and leave a dent. Either way, a car accident is something that needs to be recorded so that help can be given to those in the accident. Most of the car accidents involve property damage, but there are one in three accidents that result in much more than property damage. Car accidents can end up with injuries from scratches to paralysis and even death, with two in ten accidents leading to fatal injuries.
The good news is that if you are involved in an accident on the road, whether you are on a motorbike or in a four-wheel vehicle, there are things that you can do to protect yourself as much as possible after the accident. It’s important to know that you can only monitor your own road behaviour while you’re driving, and there are ten things that you can do to keep yourself protected in the aftermath of the accident. The following tips will help:
1. Stop. When you are involved in an accident, you must – legally – stay on the scene. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve just scuffed your bumper or you have flipped the car upside down and walked away from it. You need to stay put so that you can get the information from the other drivers. You need this information for insurance and for experienced personal injury lawyers at your service that can ensure you get the settlement you deserve as an accident victim.
2. Protect. Where you can, put your hazards on and set up cones and flares to allow traffic on the road to see that there is an accident up ahead. If you do this, you can prevent any other accidents occurring, and you can stay safe as other cars will slow down to avoid you. If your car is too damaged to put hazards on, light a phone light or flashlight to alert others.
3. Police. There may not be any serious injuries at all, but you need to alert the police the moment that you are able to do so. Your insurance claim will possibly need this from you, and it’s best to have it if you need to make any claims for vehicle damage. If you are not at fault, it’s also essential to have a police report so that you can make your settlement claim.
4. Speak. When the police arrive at the scene, you need to tell them everything that you know from the accident. If you don’t know anything, tell the police this, too. Try not to guess or mistake any of the facts of the accident, and if you get asked whether you are injured and you’re still full of adrenaline, just explain that you haven’t yet been checked over by a medical professional but that you will be soon. Pain and injuries are often apparent hours after the accident, so make no assumptions during your conversation with a police officer. If you overhear anyone giving inaccurate information, make sure that you correct it.
5. Photograph. If you are able to, take pictures on your phone and if you had a dash cam on your car, detach it so that you can keep it safe from fire or any other damage. Any injuries should be photographed as well, as this will ensure that you have a record of how they looked with a timestamp of after the accident. Do not interfere with an investigation that the police are carrying out and if you cannot take any photos of the scene, take them where you can after the accident.
6. Exchange Information. Before the police come to the accident scene, you need to exchange insurance and personal details with other drivers if you are able to. You need the home address and telephone number of everyone involved, and you also need to have their name, too. It’s not just the drivers; you need the names of all and any passengers so that you can get everything that you need for the police. You also need to see insurance cards for all involved.
7. Report. You don’t just need a lawyer to talk to; you need to report the accident to your insurance company. A lot of insurance policies will require immediate reporting to remain valid. You can also find out whether, as part of your insurance coverage, you get any specific medical benefits. Some people pay for this with “medpay”, and this requires that they must submit their accident-related bills to insurance.
8. See A Doctor. Most injuries that are caused in a car are not always apparent. Adrenaline has a lot to answer for because it masks the pain and the body then relaxes and catches up with the injuries, which can be catastrophic. Unless you are absolutely sure that the impact did not cause you injury, you need to see a doctor. Not only will you then have a medical report for your lawyer and your insurance company, but you’ll also have the help that you need.
9. Keep A Record. All the documents that are related to the accident need to be kept together in one place so that you can access them should you need to after the crash. Your information should have the claim numbers and the medical reports that you obtain, too.
10. Protect Your Rights. Your lawyer is going to be able to protect your rights and ensure that evidence after an accident isn’t destroyed. You need to get some legal advice after an accident, even if it wasn’t your fault so that you know your rights at all times. Your lawyer can work to advise you on what to do next, so don’t discount the advice that you’ll get for your personal injury.