The Necessary Steps to Take When You Get Involved in a Car Accident

More than five million auto accidents happen every year in the US. Fortunately, most of those accidents only involve damage to properties.

However, one in four accidents involves personal injuries to passengers or drivers. And part of this number experiences fatal injuries and even death.

If you get involved in a car accident, there are some things that you might do to protect yourself and your rights. Some of these things are:

  1. Seek Medical Care

Many individuals with the accident shock try to minimize trauma by denying that they are hurt. Mostly, all they want to is to go home and process what happened.

However, as much as uncomfortable it can be to get medical help, it would be imperative to go to any reliable medical center for a checkup.

Always get medical assistance even when you feel that you don’t require it. You might be dealing with swelling, internal bleeding, pinched nerves, and bulging discs.

Plus, symptoms of severe injuries might not always be apparent right away. Some like dizziness, numbness, and pain may happen several days, weeks, or months after the accident. So it would be best to have all these checked to avoid serious health issues later.

  1. Contact Your Attorney

Regardless of how minor the accident is, it would be best to consult a personal injury lawyer specializing when it comes to an auto collision. This is important before you even discuss the matters related to your accident with an insurance firm and accept a lowball offer.

Your attorney will also negotiate a better settlement on your behalf. If the negotiation is unsuccessful, the expert can aggressively defend all your interests and rights to fair compensation in the courthouse.

  1. Dial 911

Whether the accident is regarded as a major collision or minor fender-bender, dialing 911 to call the police is imperative. In some states, this is legally needed.

The responding police officer can document the scene and fill out the accident report. If the responding officer cannot come to the scene, consider going to the nearby police post and filling out the form. This is important as your insurer might request to see it when filing an insurance claim.

  1. Get Yourself and the Car Out of Danger

If you have not been injured and the collision was just minor, carefully consider driving your vehicle to the safest side of the road to avoid impeding traffic.

Put your hazard lights on, and be sure to set up reflective emergency triangles or flares to help alert other drivers.

  1. Gather the Other Driver’s Details

While it is the responsibility of police officers to collect the necessary details from both parties involved, you must get enough information for reference. 

Gathering the necessary details will ensure that you’re not held in custody in the police station before your claim is worked on.

Some of the details you may gather are driver’s license, insurance company, policy number, names, telephone numbers, and addresses, just to mention a few.

Final Touches!

It would be difficult to think things clearly in the moments following your car accident. Because of the trauma and emotions that come with the collision, it is easy to make mistakes that can cost you later.

This is why it is imperative to learn the right steps to take beforehand so you can be prepared when it happens to you.

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