Mia
Having the car of your dreams or any car is all fun and adventure until you’re involved in an accident. Your adrenaline levels are high, and you’re confused about the next steps to take. It may not have been your fault, but now you’re injured, and your car is damaged.
Whether it’s your first time or not, it’s important to know what to do after a car accident, as the way you conduct yourself and take charge of the situation makes a huge difference in how you get through the incident. The first thing you need to do in such a situation is to stop your car and not admit to people around you that you were at fault. Let your insurance adjuster and the law be the judge of that.
In this post, we have highlighted some pointers to enlighten you on how you can handle traffic accidents.
1. Remain Calm
One of the first things you should not forget to do when involved in a car accident is to remain calm – you wouldn’t be of much help to yourself or others when your emotions are all over the place. Thinking clearly won’t even be an option.
You might be mad at the driver and be tempted to vent angrily, don’t do it. It would not help you and can work against you even if it wasn’t your fault. Take a deep breath, stop your vehicle, and wait for the authorities to show up. Check to see if you’ve been hurt, and try to recollect yourself.
2. Call 9-1-1
It may not be 911 in your country, but the idea is to call the emergency helpline just in case anyone is injured. If you were injured, remain in your vehicle and let people around know that you need help. It’s better to let professionals come to your rescue than to do so yourself. You might end up doing more harm than good. Call the ambulance even if you think you’re fine. You may have internal injuries or be saving some other persons.
3. Involve Your Attorney
It is important for you to involve your lawyer if it is evident that you have sustained injuries from the accident. According to the law, the driver at fault or the insurance company is required to compensate you appropriately.
Most car crashes are usually a result of poor driving, and a quite number of them result in damaging injuries. So, if you’ve been involved in a car accident, you need to contact your lawyer as soon as you can. They are your best bet in helping you recover the compensation you deserve for the pain and suffering you’ve been through. Your attorney has a wealth of experience and expertise to make that happen.
It doesn’t matter whether you are the driver, pedestrian, passenger, or motorcycle user; an experienced injury lawyer knows the best approach to get you your deserved compensation.
4. Don’t Forget to Notify the Police
Inform the police when you’re involved in an accident, whether it’s a minor or a major car crash. It always pays to inform the authorities. Even though you could decide to sort out the whole situation with the other driver without informing the police, it is not an advisable approach.
What if you later got to realize that there were injuries or accidents you hadn’t noticed before at the scene of the incident? You certainly would not want to be served a lawsuit or charged for an accident that wasn’t your fault; you can fight it, but who would believe it when you didn’t do the right thing in the first place. Notifying the police would help prove your innocence, and in case you need to sue the other driver, the accident report would make for a good case in court.
5. Be Careful of What You Say
As much as you want to talk about what has just happened and be courteous to the other party involved, choose your words carefully. Whether you were at fault or not, don’t willingly admit to anything at the scene of the accident.
That doesn’t stop you from listening to what the other driver has to say. If they’re perhaps expecting a reply from you, simply tell them your insurance would reach out to them. Allow the authorities to be the judge of what’s happened and assign faults as they deem fit.
Being in an accident is a terrible experience. That you’ve been in one before doesn’t take away how traumatic the experience can be. As such, you need to be super prepared on how to deal with it when it happens.
