Of all the unexpected and life-altering events that can affect someone, a car accident may be the most common. If you or someone you know is involved in one, it may make a big difference if you know the steps that you need to take. Read on to see five of them and stay prepared or help someone you know that may need assistance.
1. Check for Injuries
The first thing that you should do after getting into an accident is to check for injuries, especially if you were carrying any passengers. If you are okay yourself, ensure that everyone else is fine by asking them how they feel and looking at them. If anyone has been injured, call law enforcement as well as an ambulance to ferry any victims to the hospital. Everything else is secondary to good physical health and this is why this is the most important thing that you need to do. Each year in the United States, there are around six million car accidents, out of which almost three million drivers get some form or other of injury.
2. Contact the Police
Ensure that there is an officer of the law at the accident scene so that they can compile the necessary reports. Have a look at the extent of damage that your vehicle has suffered and call a mechanic if you have one that works on your vehicle. Four out of five repairs done on cars in the United States are related to the vehicle’s durability, so if your car is in a solid state, it may be easier and cheaper to repair.
3. Report the Accident
Next, call your insurance company and report the accident to them. Follow any instructions that they give you about the steps that you should take to make the process easier to follow. Failing to report a car accident can leave you with a lot of complications and even make it hard for you to get any compensation that you’re due. If you’re unable to report the accident right away, find time to do so as soon as you’re able to.
4. Exchange Information With the Other Driver
Remember to exchange information with the other driver, such as insurance and contact details, before you leave the scene. Auto insurance details are important because your insurance company will need to communicate with theirs. This will make it easy to do the necessary follow-up and come to a conclusion that works for both parties. Find out from your insurance agent when you call them what exactly to get from the other driver and also note down the names of any witnesses on the site because they may be necessary to contact.
5. Decide Whether You Will File a Claim
Finally, decide on whether you are going to file a claim or not, depending on the state of things. In the United States, there are 1,315,561 lawyers, and this means that it should be fairly easy to find one to work with if you need their help. Ask friends and family who may have worked with one to give you referrals if they got satisfactory representation from them and you will shorten the process considerably.
If you are ever involved in a car accident or are with someone who is, follow these five steps as closely as possible. Doing so will enable you to get the best outcome and become better able to keep living your life as you are used to doing.
