Millions of car accidents happen every year in the United States. Thankfully, many of them only involve some property damage and not always include personal injuries to the drivers and passengers. When you are involved in an automobile accident attorneys, there’s certain things that should be done to protect yourself and your assets. Below are some of the top things you should know if you have been in an accident.
- Stay Put
No matter how small the accident may be, you should never leave the scene. Leaving the scene of an accident is illegal and can get you in deep trouble.
- Keep Accident Scene Protected
Sometimes an accident occurs in traffic where other cars are still trying to pass. To help prevent further injuries or cause other accidents, always put on your flashers and set up flares if you can. This is especially important if you have an accident during the evening. A good thing to keep in your car for such an emergency is a flashlight.
- Call Police
Even if the accident didn’t cause any injuries or significant damage that is visible, a police officer should always be called to come write up an accident report. If you have to file a claim with your insurance company, they will want to see the report from the police. If possible, leave all vehicles involved where they are after an accident unless they are impeding local traffic.
- Keep Accurate Records
When a police officer arrives to create an accident report, be as specific as possible when describing what happened. If you are unsure of certain facts, tell the officer that you are unsure. Never try to speculate what happened or make guesses. For example, if you are asked whether or not you are injured and you are not sure in that moment, tell the officer you are unsure instead of saying no.
- Take Evidence
If possible, take pictures of the accident scene with your phone or camera. Be sure any visible damage is clearly shown in the pictures. Additionally, if you have any visible injuries, be sure to take pictures of those as well. Without putting yourself in harm’s way, taking the pictures of the area in which the accident occurred could help your case as well.
- Exchange Information
Generally, the officer who is writing the accident report will collect the insurance and contact information from all parties involved. If, however, the officer never shows up or the police are not called, you should always get contact and insurance information from the other drivers.
- Report Accident To Insurance
Once you have had the police come to take an accident report and have received any medical care you might have needed, you should contact your insurance company as soon as possible in order to file a claim. They will walk you through the steps to take in order to get your car fixed and pay for any medical bills you might have if it was included in your coverage.
- Medical Attention
If you are hurt in the accident, you should seek medical help right away. In some cases, people think they are unharmed after an accident but then start to feel pain in a couple days. Unless you are absolutely sure you didn’t get injured in the accident, it is best to get checked out by a physician.
- Keep A File
You should keep track of all the information and paperwork that is related to your accident. Some information you should keep on hand that includes the claim number, contact information for all involved and your insurance adjuster’s name and number.
- Hire Personal Injury Lawyer
In some cases, it may be in your best interest to contact a personal injury lawyer to protect your rights after an auto accident. They will be able to offer you legal advise and make certain that all valuable evidence doesn’t get destroyed before you get the compensation you deserve.
Make sure you remember and follow through all the above mentioned things if you met with an accident.
