In a Car Accident?
If you’ve ever been in a car accident you know how distressing it can be. At first, you are in shock, and then you go on to make sure everyone in the car is okay. Here is what you should know so that you can get through what follows that initial shock and discovery phase. You need to call the police to get them on the scene, record all information, take pictures, and notify your insurance company.
1. Call your local law enforcement authorities or 911 if you discover that there were any serious injuries during the car accident. Doing this is the most important first response and provides you with the assistance needed and a legal record to turn over to your insurance company. This is not the time to worry about whose fault it was; the insurance companies will determine that. Do not admit to fault, let the police sort this out in their report.
2. Take down all the information you can get from the other driver. That should include their name, address, description of the vehicle, license plate info, insurance information and driver’s license information. Your insurance company will use this as they file your claim.
3. Use your cell phone camera, or any other camera, and take some pictures of the scene. Get shots of the other vehicle as well as yours showing everything you can about the auto accident including street markers and signs. This is helpful for determining fault. I’ve even sent my insurance company Google map pictures of the intersection to help state my case.
4. Let your insurance agent know that you have been involved in an auto accident as soon as you can, and provide them with as much information as you have been able to gather. They will need the police report, and all the pertinent information you were able to obtain from the other driver.
5. Contact DMV to let them know about the auto accident and ask what they will need from you. This is a legal obligation. If there was a police report they will take care of this notice and tell you when you can pick up the report.
It is always unfortunate when someone is involved in a car wreck. Statistically, most people are involved in at least one accident during their lifetime. Since there is no telling when yours will occur, you should get in touch with a car accident lawyer to see what kind of advice they can give to protect you when your time comes. Laws are different in each state and this is just a basic overview of the most obvious things you should, or should not, do. Get specifics from an expert in your state.
If you follow the tips above, they will help you to insure that you have everything you need if a dispute arises as to who was at fault. With the help of a qualified car accident lawyer, you should have all of that covered.
