An accident is rarely a pleasant experience, no matter what the circumstances are. It can be particularly unsettling if there are people injured or killed. Car accidents are also very common in the United States, with more than 6 million collisions taking place each year. With as many accidents as there are, likely, you may eventually become involved in one.
These auto accident tips should help you minimize your risk of being hurt and maximize the chances that you will receive fair treatment from insurance companies and law enforcement officers if you’re involved in an auto accident.
Remain Calm
When involved in a car accident, the first thing to do is remain as calm as possible, as this will allow you to handle the situation with clear thinking. After you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident you may be tempted to run. This is one of the worst mistakes that you could make. Always try to stay calm and never run from the scene of the accident.
Protect the Scene
As soon as you realize that you are involved in a car accident, one of the first things to do, after gathering your thoughts from the shock is to protect the scene – before the Police arrive. Securing the accident scene means, moving your vehicle or others involved in the accident to safety.
If the accident occurred at night, you should turn on your flashlight or something to indicate there is a problem on the road. You don’t want to cause a fresh accident. Checking on people who may be injured is also a way to go during this stage.
Call the Police
The moment you find yourself involved in a car accident, call the police. This serves two purposes: one, it can help you prove your claim, and two, it can help prevent further injury to yourself or others. The police will do an investigation to determine the cause of the crash and who is at fault.
Calling the police can also help when there are severely injured persons involved in the accident and if they need an ambulance, this will ensure that they can quickly get to a hospital and get properly treated.
Make an Accurate Record
When involved in a car accident you must make an accurate record of the accident, especially if there are injuries or there has been significant damage to any of the vehicles involved in the accident. Do not assume.
Try to be as factual as you can. When the police are asking questions on the events that have taken place, do not speculate. Be as clear as you can remember. If you are injured, say you are, and if you are not sure, tell them you are not sure. Every detail counts in this situation. Even if the police did not attend your accident, it’s advisable to file a car accident report yourself as it can protect you after an accident.
Take Pictures
The key to winning your case and avoiding hefty repairs is to take pictures and gather as much evidence as possible, as soon as you are involved in an accident. In many cases, the details of the accident can be disputed because it is difficult to remember everything that happened during the accident.
To best support your argument, you should therefore take pictures of all your damages and take them with you when meeting with an insurance company representative.
Exchange Information
If you have been involved in a car accident, it is important to exchange information with other drivers. This is particularly true if any of you sustained an injury in the accident. Gathering information can be helpful to your insurance company during your claim for injuries.
It can also be helpful concerning establishing fault for the accident so that you can claim compensation from another driver’s uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
Report the Accident to Your Insurance Company
If you have been involved in a car accident, it is important to exchange information with other drivers. This is particularly true if any of you sustained an injury in the accident. Gathering information can be helpful to your insurance company during your claim for injuries.
It can also be helpful concerning establishing fault for the accident so that you can claim compensation from another driver’s uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. And if you are the passenger in a car crash, exchanging information will benefit you because you will be insured by the bodily injury liability insurance and Personal Injury Protection of the responsible driver.
Depending on the situation, passengers in a car crash submit a suit with their driver’s insurance company, the other driver’s insurance provider, or their insurer.
Seek Medical Attention
If you or anyone was injured in the accident, you need to go get urgent medical attention as soon as possible. Even though it’s a car accident, you could have internal or external injuries that a doctor will need to know about. Both of these kinds of injuries are especially important if they happen right away after the accident has taken place.
Keep a File
If you’re involved in a car accident or hit-and-run situation, it can be important to keep a file of all relevant information, including photographs and your documentation. It’s also a good idea to keep them organized for ease of reference and so you don’t lose them.
Consult Your Lawyer
Even a minor car accident can have serious financial consequences, which is why you need to consult with an attorney who specializes in personal injury law. Your lawyer will help you file the papers needed to get a personal injury claim and help settle out all the legal issues involved in the accident.
No one wants to be involved in an accident. But like many things that happen in life, we cannot control them. What we can do is to ensure we are well equipped with the steps we need to take if we are ever in this poor situation and understand how to protect our interests.
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