Around 4.4 million people are seriously injured in car crashes every year. This is only the number of people who seek medical attention. This number doesn’t include the number of people who are injured but don’t seek medical attention.
Do you know how to handle car crash aftermath? After being involved in a car accident, what’s the first thing you do? No one plans to get into a car accident, but you should always be prepared.
Just in case it was to happen, you’ll want to know exactly what to do to ensure safety and justice. Continue reading below for the first 5 things you should do immediately after a car accident!
1. Find Safety
Car accidents can happen in any place at any time, but it’s common to become involved in one on a busy or dangerous street. It’s scary, and there’s a lot going on, but the first thing you need to do is find safety.
If you can, drive your car off the main road and into a safe location. If it’s not driveable, then step out of the car and relocate to a safe location. Once you’re safe, you can then proceed to step 2.
2. Contact 911
Step 2 is to contact 911. Even if you don’t believe you’ve been injured, you need to contact 911 for other reasons. When the police arrive on the scene, they can write out a report, which will help you win a case or prove no-fault. They’ll also ensure the road is cleaned and cleared for other drivers.
When they arrive, they’ll have paramedics with them who’ll check you out and ensure you have no serious injuries.
3. Inform Your Insurance
You should then exchange information with the other driver and inform your car insurance company about the accident. The insurance company will want to know information about the other driver including, their name, their license plate, VIN number, their insurance company, and more.
Provide all details to your insurance company and take a few pictures of the accident as well. Pictures also come in handy when it’s time to prove what happened.
4. Seek Medical Attention
Always seek medical attention immediately after a car accident. This is true even for those cleared by medics. Even if you don’t have a serious injury that’s life or death, you could still have some pretty significant injuries that should be treated as soon as possible.
Seek medical attention and have a doctor check everything. If you have any type of pain, let him or her know. Some injuries won’t show themselves until some time after the accident occurred.
Most insurance companies and accident lawsuits won’t allow compensation for injuries unless you sought medical attention within a certain time frame after the accident.
5. Hire an Attorney
The last step you should complete is hiring an attorney. Having a reputable law firm on your side will ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Not all car accident cases are simple.
Other drivers will lie and do whatever the can to avoid taking the blame. When you’ve been injured and have medical bills and future expenses due to your injury, you’ll need an attorney to handle the case for you.
Don’t Be Blindsighted by Car Crash Aftermath!
The car crash aftermath that people deal with is different for every situation. Not all car accidents have the same injuries or circumstances. One thing is certain, however, and that’s the fact that these 5 steps should be followed immediately after any car accident.
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