There are certain things you should do after a car accident. You can check out our guide here to learn what to do when someone hits your car.
In the US, there are around 6 million car accidents each year.
Yet, despite the prevalence of car accidents, many people do not know what to do after they’re involved in a collision.
Stop, Protect The Scene, & Call The Police
Whether you’re the victim or the one at fault, you always need to stop, even if it is minor.
To prevent further accidents, set up flares on the road. If you don’t have flares, turn your flashers on. Additionally, you should keep your vehicle where it is as long as it is not interfering with traffic or causing a dangerous situation.
Call the police even if there aren’t any serious injuries. In order to file a claim with your insurance company, you will likely need to send in a police report. If the accident is non reportable, get the name and badge number of the officer that told you that so you can provide it to the insurance company.
Make An Accurate Record
Once the police have arrive at the scene, tell them exactly what happened to the best of your ability.
If the police officer asks if you’re injured and you’re not sure, say that you’re unsure rather than no.
Oftentimes, injuries only become apparent hours after a collision. If you say you’re not injured on the scene, this could interfere with your compensation down the road.
You should also make sure that anyone else involved in the accident also gives an accurate statement to the officer.
If you have your phone with you take pictures of both vehicles and any visible damage. If you have visible injuries, you should photograph those as well.
Exchange Info
Typically, the investigating police officer will obtain information from both parties. However, it’s still a good idea to obtain the name, address, and phone number of all parties involved in the crash, especially if the police officer doesn’t respond to the scene.
You should also gather information from witnesses in the event your injury lawyer needs to contact them in the future.
Report To Your Insurance Company
You should notify your insurance company about the accident as soon as possible. Many insurance companies require a report to be made immediately.
You should do this before Googling “car body repair near me” or anything else accident related.
Taking these steps will help ensure you get the compensation you deserve.
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