What to Do if You Are in an Accident

What to Do if You Are in an Accident

If you have been fortunate and never have been in an accident, you may not be sure that you are legally required to do and what your insurance company needs from you in order to complete your claim.

First Steps

Make sure you and your passengers are safe and out of harm’s way. Though you wouldn’t usually move your vehicle after a collision, you need to be personally safe and prevent causing another accident. Whether you have crashed on a busy highway or on a curvy rural road, if your vehicle can safely be moved to the side of the road and out of the line of traffic, then you should do so.

Either way, you and your passengers should remain in the vehicle with your seat belts on until law enforcement or other help arrives.

Warn Other Drivers

Turn on your emergency flashers. If you have and emergency kit with flares or cones, use them to warn other drivers of the accident.

Contact the Police

Report the accident to the state highway or the local police department, giving them your location, the number of vehicles involved, and whether anyone is injured. Even if police officers don’t come to the scene of your accident, the report may necessary for your insurance claim.

Call your Insurance Company

You will need information from any driver involved in the accident. Each of you should exchange name, address, phone number, license plate number, and driver’s license number. If the insurance of any driver is under a different name, get the name and address of the insured person.

Also, note the make, model, and color of the other involved vehicle(s), and write down the details of the accident and how the other vehicle(s) was involved. If you have a camera, take pictures of the accident and of the specific damage to the vehicles.

If anyone witnessed the collision, try to get their names and contact information also, in case an accident dispute arises.

What to do Before an Accident

There’s a few things you should do long before you ever get into an accident.

  • Keep an emergency pack in your vehicle that has basic first aid supplies, a flashlight, and emergency flares, warning triangles, or cones, as well as a disposable camera, pen and paper, and a medic-alert card that lists any severe allergies you may have to medications. These things may all come in handy if you are in a collision.
  • Know what to expect from your insurance company. Knowing the details of your policy, including what is covered and what isn’t can save you time and added stress. If you don’t know what your policy covers or are unsure about what is all included, call your agent and have them walk you through everything.

It’s possible that if the involved vehicles suffer little damage, you and the other driver may wonder if you need to involve the police or your respective insurance companies. You may simply agree to pay for any damage out of your own pockets. However, there are several things that can go wrong in a situation like this.

1
The other driver sustains whiplash or other soft tissue injury that doesn’t present itself until days or even weeks after the accident.
2
The other driver gets the estimate for repairs to the vehicle and realizes fixing it will cost much more than they anticipated.
3
The other driver later submits the accident to the police and their insurance company.

In each of these cases, you and your insurance company will be at a disadvantage. Your insurance company could end up paying for the other driver’s injuries and damage, even if the accident was their fault, or the other driver could file a lawsuit against you for the damages and medical bills.

Accidents, even simple ones, are traumatic and can take a toll on you emotionally, physically, and financially. Be prepared as best you can, contact who you should, report what you know, and call an attorney before taking any insurance settlement offers.

Have You Been Injured in a Car Accident? Call Us Today!

If you’ve been injured in a car accident or lost a loved one in a fatal crash, you need a dedicated team of attorneys and legal professionals fighting for your rights. Our attorneys have a long and proven record of helping the victims of car accidents get the compensation they deserve.

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We’ll fight insurance companies, negligent operators, and reckless drivers to get you the maximum compensation you deserve.

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