After experiencing a car accident, you might be feeling confused and frazzled. You’ll almost certainly be left with questions about what to do next. What should your first steps be? Do I need medical attention? Is there anything I can do to protect my interests? Is there anyone I should call?
If you find yourself in this sort of situation, it is natural to feel a little afraid. However, as frightening as such a situation can be, it will not hurt you to remain calm and focus on what needs to be done right away. The key here is to take action as soon as possible so that the consequences of the accident are minimized as much as possible.
It all seems so overwhelming at first, but if you have an idea of what needs to be done after a car accident, the process will go much smoother. The sooner you get these things handled after a car accident, the less stress and hassle it will be for you later on. Here are six steps you should take if you’re involved in a car accident.
Check for injuries and request medical assistance
This is the most important thing to do right away: check yourself to make sure you aren’t hurt. If you believe you are injured, get yourself to a medical facility as soon as possible.
Even if you don’t think you are injured, you should still have a doctor or nurse examine you. This is a standard precaution that is taken in nearly all car accident cases. If you have passengers in your car, check to see if they are injured.
According to The Barnes Firm, a group of renowned Bronx car accident lawyers, in most cases, it’s best to have them checked out at a medical facility, particularly if they have any signs of injury or disorientation. This is important not just for the passengers’ health but also for the flow of the accident investigation.
Hospitals keep records of patients, and this will allow all parties involved in the accident to know who was in your car.
Collect evidence (video, photos, etc.)
Whenever you can, it is always a good idea to collect as much evidence as possible. This could involve taking pictures of the accident scene, the cars involved, and the damage.
It could also involve gathering witness information or having someone record the sound of the accident discussions between you and the other parties involved from inside your car. It could involve getting the names and contact information of any officers who responded to the scene of the accident.
Whatever you can do to collect evidence will help your case if you end up in court. It could be the thing that makes the difference between winning and losing your case.
Assess whether you’re at fault or not
While this may not seem like the most important task during the heat of the moment, it’s important to know for sure whether you are at fault for the accident.
If you’re at fault, you’ll want to take steps to protect yourself from being held responsible for the costs of the accident, such as the medical bills of others and any property damage. To do this, you’ll want to contact your insurance company and report the accident.
Then, you’ll want to check the policy of the other driver to see if they have insurance to cover their part of the accident. If they don’t, you may want to consider hiring a lawyer just to be safe.
You’ll want to be sure to take pictures of the accident scene as well as any damage done to property, like the cars involved. You’ll want to get the other drivers’ names and contact information, as well as the names and contact information of any witnesses who may have seen the accident.
Hold off on agreeing to anything
While the other drivers and their passengers are most likely eager to get out of there, you may want to hold off on agreeing to anything. As soon as you agree to some sort of settlement, you could be bound to it.
This means that you could be agreeing to something that is less than what you are entitled to and/or receive less than you deserve. When discussing the accident with the other drivers, you might feel like you should agree to something right away, but you have no obligation to do so.
You should wait until you have a lawyer on board who can advise you as to what you should be agreeing to. If you feel pressured by the other parties involved to agree to something before talking to a lawyer, you might want to get their information and hold off on agreeing to anything until you’ve talked to a lawyer about your options.
Speak To a Lawyer Immediately
This is one of the most important steps and the one you should not wait to take. The sooner you speak to a lawyer, the sooner you’ll know what to expect and how to proceed.
Of course, you’ll want to select a trustworthy lawyer, so be sure to do your research before making any decisions. Once you’ve selected a lawyer, you’ll want to let them know what happened right away so that they can begin working on your case.
The lawyer will want to know who the other parties are, what insurance they have, the names and contact information of any witnesses, the names and contact information of the people or parties who were in your car, and any information you have regarding the accident itself. They’ll also want to know where the accident took place so they can investigate the scene.
Notify your insurance company immediately
Even if you are not sure you are at fault for the accident, call your insurance company as soon as possible to report the accident. They will likely have a standard procedure they follow when someone calls to report an accident.
They will ask you questions and record the information so they can determine if they are going to cover the accident. This information will also help them determine who is at fault. If the accident was not your fault, the insurance company will likely ask you to wait before filing a claim.
This is to prevent you from filing a claim for false reasons. They may ask you to wait until the other driver’s insurance company has decided who is at fault. It is best to follow their instructions so that you don’t end up hurting your insurance claim.
Wrapping up
When you have a car accident, it is important to follow the steps mentioned here to ensure your safety and that of others. You can reduce your chances of getting hurt by following these easy steps. The sooner you get these things handled, the less stress and hassle they will be for you later on.
