Car accidents can be traumatic! If you are unfortunate enough to be involved in this unexpected situation, you should know how to better deal with it. Whether you have experienced a car accident or simply want to be prepared, we have discussed everything you need to know. Preparation will help you how to deal with first responders, acquire medical care and protect your insurance claim. Here’s what you need to do in this stressful situation. Let’s get started!
Chapter Overview
Medical Care
The situation of a car accident can be quite confusing and you are more likely to forget about yourself and the people around you. It is important to make sure the nearby passengers and the other driver are safe and sound. At times, the symptoms can take longer to appear – it can be up to several weeks or months. Nothing comes before your health and therefore acquiring medical care & treatment has utmost significance. These injuries vary from minor bruises or pain such as shoulder pain after car accident to major ones or soft tissues injuries.
In many cases, accident injuries affect one or more areas of your body. Primarily depending on the intensity of your injuries, the treatment and recovery process may also differ. Some of the common injuries include back and spinal cord injuries, rib damages, head and brain injuries, internal wounds, etc. Make sure to consult a chiropractic doctor and undertake a detailed physical examination and recommended tests to precisely diagnose the injuries. They will formulate a treatment program depending on your injuries. Also, don’t forget the follow-up sessions.
Safety First!
In a car accident, you can easily get distracted and make mistakes that may lead to further injury to anyone nearby or even more harmful consequences. If you are involved in a minor car accident, make sure not to leave kids, pets, elderly or disabled persons locked in the car. If you are travelling with a child during the collision, do not remove them from the car seat. You never know the injuries they might be suffering from. It is recommended to wait for the first responder who can safely remove them from the car seat and evaluate the injuries.
Exchange of Details
While everything may seem stressful, it’s easy to forget about the required details that need to be considered. Whether the accident is a minor or major one, most collisions result in some kind of property damage – it can be less or more. It’s important to stop at the accident scene and follow the accident principles. In case you don’t, you will be held accountable for a criminal offence. You should provide your full name, physical address, vehicle, and insurance information to the police or any official authority who have the right to ask for these details. Also, you should have the contact information of the other vehicle (s) and the witnesses involved.
Record the Accident and Protect Evidence
If you are able to get a camera, the best thing you can do is to take as many photographs as possible. Try to take photos of the people and vehicles involved. Whether you are suffering from any major or minor injuries, take snaps of these wounds as well. Also, it should include everything that might have caused the accident. In case you don’t have a camera, you may want to ask a nearby passenger to take some photos for you. Moreover, take pictures of the damage done, license plates, and other evidence – the skid marks, street signs, lights, etc. As soon as you consult a car accident attorney henderson, make sure to provide them the relevant information and evidence recorded. If you think that there are any faulty street lights, weather conditions, or malfunctioning equipment contributing to the accident, report them as well.
Insurance Claim
If you are expecting fair compensation for the injuries and property damages done, it’s time to contact your insurance company immediately. At the same time, consulting an attorney beforehand will help. Make sure not to delay when it comes to contacting your insurance agency. Keep in mind every insurance company have their set of policy rules and regulations. If you are unable to meet their policy requirements, chances are you will fail to get the compensation. Also, we recommend you not to respond to any queries from the other driver’s insurer unless and until you have consulted an attorney. Well, that doesn’t mean you need to be rude. Be polite but excuse them from answering any questions without approval from your attorney.
Guidelines to Road Traffic Accident
The core of this article is to help you understand how to deal with this unfortunate situation. Here we will discuss a few easy guidelines post-accident in case there is any car accident injury or damage involved. Let’s take a look!
Safe and Sound: As we have mentioned above, make sure everyone is safe and sound. Unless and until anyone is critically injured, the best you can do is to get everyone out of the vehicles.
Do Not Admit Fault: The situation of an accident can be quite freaking and you might not be able to figure out what to communicate or not. Even if you think that the accident has happened because of your mistake or even due to some of your fault, do not admit it. It will considerably affect your insurance and legal procedure. Wait for the time when everything becomes obvious and you are more likely to communicate with a calm mind.
Take Photographs: Keep in mind photographs make solid evidence depicting the reality of the incident. Considering taking photographs from multiple angles including your vehicle or any other vehicles that might be a cause of the accident.
Write Important Details: Remember a small detail can be beneficial and contribute to your insurance case for well-deserved compensation. It’s always a good idea to document the event – the light conditions, environment, traffic, etc.
Witness: If there is any witness of the accident, make sure to ask them their name or contact information. You are more likely to use this information later in the insurance process.
Report the Accident: If you want to get your financial compensation, it’s important to communicate your claim to the insurer as soon as possible. Provide them all the relevant information to get your case started immediately.
Exchange Driver Details: This should primarily include the name, contact number, registration number, address, and insurer of the driver (s) involved in the accident.
Wrapping Up
A car accident is an unfortunate event leaving you in many expected and unexpected troubles. During a vehicle collision, it’s easy to get confused, disoriented, and traumatized. From writing down the phone numbers and accident details to exchanging information, seeking medical care, consulting an attorney – there is a lot to do. In these circumstances, you may forget one or more important aspects. One simple way to make sure not to forget anything is by keeping a checklist. We hope the guidelines discussed above will help you better sort out the situation and do the best for yourself and your beloved ones.