5 Things You Must Do After Getting In a Car Accident

Finnegan Pierson

Getting involved in a car crash is often among the scariest things you can experience. You might be too scared or shocked to make sober decisions. However, the actions you take after an accident are often essential. You can easily make the right moves if you are informed and avoid making costly mistakes. You can prevent losing your compensation benefits or taking the fault by making use of these five guidelines after being involved in a car accident.

Call An Attorney

Consider hiring an experienced car accident lawyer after a crash. Sometimes the insurance companies handle the case and come to an agreement. However, it’s still wise to hire car accident attorneys so that you can get a fair settlement with the insurance company. 

When the case goes to court, it’s prevalent to hire an attorney for legal representation. It would also pay to contact your insurance company while at the scene. You can get advice from your insurer on what to do and start the claim filing process. It would help if you did not admit fault. 

Get Medical Attention

It’s wise that you first check yourself or the car’s occupants for any injuries. It would also be wise to check the physical health of the occupants of the other vehicle. If there are serious injuries, it would be prudent to call emergency care or an ambulance to take the injured to the hospital. 

Some injuries after a car accident may not be obvious. It’s advisable to visit a doctor or small business for a check-up even if you look okay from the outside. You could be experiencing internal bleeding or other internal injuries. Seeking medical treatment is also essential for your compensation claim. It’s wise that you get medical treatment from your doctor so that you may present them during the car accident claim process.

Call The Police 

It’s wise to pull out of traffic after a car crash, and not escape from the accident scene. After stopping, it’s wise to turn off your engine to avoid a fire accident if you have a gasoline leak. After that, you can then turn on your hazards to notify other drivers to be cautious and ease traffic. It would be wise to put up signs to prevent another accident. 

After that, you can call the police. It’s always advisable to call the police even if the injuries or car damage is minor. Calling the police can help you if you plan to file a car accident claim. Once the police arrive and inspect the scene and talk to the parties involved, it’s wise to get a copy of the police report.

Exchange Driver’s Information

While the police will collect information, it’s also wise that you obtain information for your records. Most police reports are often available after a few weeks. Some vital information that you may need to collect includes the name and contacts of the drivers, car license plates, driver’s license, insurance company and policy numbers. You can also obtain the names and contacts of all eyewitnesses. It would also be wise to document the car model, make and year.

Document The Accident

Some simple documentation can go a long way. It’s wise to document the accident from when it happened and the events before the crash. The information needs to be accurate for enforcement purposes. You can use your smartphone to take pictures of the scene. You can start by taking photos of the cars involved, as you take close shots of the car damages and your injuries. 

It’s good to take clear pictures of the general area and anything that contributed to the crash. You may also want to document the accident location, time of the crash, the weather conditions and the direction you were headed to before the crash. You can also record testimonies of eyewitnesses.

It’s essential to do these five things after a car crash. You may need to involve your insurer, especially if you want to file for compensation. As mentioned above, it’s advisable to get in touch with an attorney.