Nobody plans to get into an accident whether they are at fault or not. The moments after an accident can be stressful to say the least as you likely will have a cloudy mind. The importance of getting medical attention cannot be stressed enough especially if you know something is not right. There are minor accidents that do not leave any type of dent that you can skip medical attention. These usually occur in a parking lot and a number of police will not ticket either party on private property. The following are tips for when you are involved in an accident as not everything is intuitive for people involved in their first crash.
Take Pictures
The first thing that you want to do is to take a few pictures immediately after the accident. There is a chance that an officer responding to the scene can make a mistake when deciding who is at fault. Taking these pictures will make it clear as to who was at fault. Do this carefully as you will need to be moved from your car to a safe location if possible, as to not impede traffic. Getting out of your car is not recommended as other drivers rubbernecking could lead to another crash that could injure or kill a person outside of their car.
Call the Police
There is a chance that the other driver wants to handle the situation without the police. Cases have been brought up where the person who was actually at fault sues the other due to a lack of a police report. The one aspect to remember is not to admit fault at any point as some officers will take your word as fact. There is a chance the other driver is speeding or is driving under the influence.
Reach Out to a Personal Injury Attorney
There are going to be expenses that are associated with a car accident. This could be your insurance deductible or medical expenses incurred over the course of time due to an injury caused by the accident. Reaching out to a few law firms is important as some specialize in a variety of areas while others might not even handle personal injury cases. A personal injury attorney can help relieve stress by handling paperwork and the gathering of information. There are deadlines in certain cases to file so you want to make sure it is filed correctly the first time. Insurance company legal teams will take an attorney far more seriously than someone representing themselves without previous legal experience.
Wait Until the Next Morning to Call Your Insurance Company
Calling your insurance company is something you need to do. You could be cloudy or overly upset over the accident to call on the day of the accident. The insurance company will ask you what happened and all you have to do is read the accident report. Do not add extra details like you were distracted or tired as insurance companies look for reasons not to pay out a claim.
Car accidents are stressful and can derail your life for months or years depending on an injury. Use the above tips to protect yourself and to receive compensation for your pain/suffering/lost wages.
