Regardless of how careful a person is, accidents happen. When a person is involved in a car accident, adrenaline tends to surge through their body. At this time, they must remain calm and take certain steps to ensure the accident is properly documented and the party responsible for the accident is held accountable. What steps should they take at this time?
Injuries
Always check for injuries first after a car accident. Call 911 for help and make certain people don’t move unless they need to. Any movement can exacerbate injuries, so it’s best to stay put until you can be checked by medical professionals.
Move to a Safer Area
If possible, move the vehicles out of the road. This reduces the risk of another accident occurring. If emergency warning devices are available, use them to alert other drivers. When an explosion seems likely, try to move everyone away from the accident scene. It is acceptable to move injured parties in this situation. However, try to keep this movement to a minimum to prevent further damage to an injured party.
Document the Accident
Collect as much information as possible about the accident and the parties involved. Furthermore, get contact information from any witnesses. Most states only require the parties to exchange names and insurance information. Don’t make a statement at the scene because anything said at this time may be used in legal proceedings. Even something as innocent as saying you are fine can cause problems as the case moves forward.
Take pictures of the vehicles and the surrounding area. Many insurance companies now offer apps for smartphones to make the process of documenting all aspects of the crash easy. If this app isn’t available through your insurer, download WreckCheck, a product of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. This app makes it easy to document the time of the accident and other information before emailing it to yourself or your insurance agent. If no app is available, use pencil and paper to complete this step. Likewise, if the police files the report, you will afterwards be able to find your crash report online so that you can connect with service providers if needed.
File an Insurance Claim
An insurance claim is needed to get reimbursed for any property damage, medical bills, and other expenses related to the accident. The insurance company to file this claim with depends on who was at fault in the accident. If the responsible party doesn’t have insurance, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage becomes of great help in obtaining this compensation.
At times, it may not seem necessary to file a claim. However, Consumer Reports states even low-speed crashes can lead to damages running in the thousands of dollars. Keep this in mind and collect insurance information from the other party.
It’s best to file a claim regardless of the severity of the accident. This allows you to feel confident knowing you won’t be held liable for any damages to your vehicle if another person was at fault. That’s why drivers have insurance. They need to know they are protected when they get behind the wheel, and this type of coverage ensures they are.
Regardless of how safe a person tries to be when behind the wheel of a car, accidents will happen. They may occur when an animal runs in front of the vehicle, another driver cuts them off, or weather conditions make driving impossible. Know what to do when a crash occurs, so you can resolve the matter quickly and easily. By taking these steps, you’ll have the information needed to achieve this goal.