A car accident can result in aggravation and expense if you neglect these steps
Car accidents can leave you shocked, hurt, confused, and overwhelmed. Things get even more complicated when there are other parties involved. You may not know what to do immediately after the accident occurs. Do you call your family, police, your insurance company, or a car accident lawyer.
Depending on how serious the car accident is and what caused the accident, it can be a legally complicated situation. One wrong move can make a huge difference. Some simple mistakes can limit your right to get compensation from insurance companies and other drivers. Here is some advice on the steps you should take immediately after a car accident:
Ensure everyone’s safety
At the scene of the car accident, the first and the most important thing to do is to ensure the safety of everyone involved. Turn on the emergency flashers and exit your vehicle if you can. If you or someone else is injured, call 911 as soon as possible to get police and an ambulance to the accident scene. You must call the police and file a report even if the accident is minor. Alert the other drivers by turning on the hazard lights or setting up flares around the site of the accident.
Do not leave the accident scene
If you are not injured, stay at the accident scene and wait for the police to issue a report. You can use this report to seek compensation for your injuries and vehicle. In case there are charges being pressed against the other involved driver such as reckless driving or Driving Under the Influence (DUI), staying at the scene of the accident will help your case.
Exchange information
After the car accident, you should exchange driver and insurance information. You should exchange name, phone number, address, the contact information of your insurance company. Include policy number, name of the insured and driver’s name. Also include the license plate number, driver’s license number, owner of the vehicle, description of the vehicle, and the exact time and location of the accident. Make sure you get the same information from the other driver.
Even if you think you were at fault, do not admit your guilt to anyone. In fact, minimize speaking to the other driver. Exchange only the relevant information and do not get into any discussions or arguments with them.
Gather evidence
You should take pictures of the accident scene from different angles and distances. Take photos of the accident scene, interiors, and exteriors of all the vehicles involved, skid marks, road signs, shattered glass, and damaged property.
You must also photograph the injuries sustained in the accident. Take pictures of the driving conditions such as rain, snow, fog, etc. as well. You must also try to gather information for all witnesses as they can play a key role in case there is a dispute with the other drivers. Note down the contact information of witnesses as well as the occupants of the other vehicle.
Call your insurance company
Report the accident to the insurance company. It is better to be the first one to report it than to allow the other driver to report a claim. Share all the details of the car accident with your insurance company so that they can build a claim for you. If required, they will send an insurance adjuster to assess the accident scene. It is important to call your insurance company even if the accident seems minor. Make contact as soon as possible.
Call an attorney
Even a minor car accident can have serious repercussions and you must ensure that your rights are protected. The other driver may agree to pay for your vehicle repair and may deny it later on once they see the actual bills. The other driver may also claim injuries that were not apparent at the accident scene.
Gathering all the relevant evidence can save you from such issues. However, it is not easy to navigate all the legal complexities of a car accident. So, it is best to have a competent lawyer by your side to safeguard your legal rights.