When you have a car accident, you should take some steps to ensure everyone is safe, follow the law, and get compensation from the insurance company. Insurance providers state that there are some steps everyone should follow when they get into an accident, no matter who’s at fault.
Let’s check the following guide to have a better understanding of the situation.
Check for injuries
The first thing you should do when you have a car or motorcycle accident is to determine if you or other road participants are injured. Suppose someone is injured, call 911 and ask the expert responding to the call what you should do. When you have serious injuries, it’s best to stay put and not move. The emergency personnel will arrive at the scene and make sure they take you to the hospital in safe conditions.
Check on the others’ well-being
When you have no injuries that put your life in danger, or you’re not too sore to move, check on the others (passengers in your car or other people involved in the accident). If someone shows signs of injury, call the emergency services or ask someone to call for help if you lost your phone. Don’t move the injured if they’re not in danger or on the roadside.
Get to safety
If you or other people involved in the accident are able to move, get out of the roadside, and wait for the emergency services on the sidewalk. Also, when your vehicle is safe to drive, and you can maneuver it outside the road, take it on the side because it may cause a hazard to traffic. Otherwise, leave it where it is and take everyone to safety until the professionals come and assess the scene.
Call your injury lawyer
You may want to call your injury lawyer and tell them about the accident. They can recommend you what steps to follow to make sure you can easily claim compensation from the insurance company. Exchange information with the other driver involved in the accident. Ask them for their full name and contact information, insurance company and policy number, driver’s license and license plate number, and write down the location of the accident and color, type, and model of the car they drive.
Write down every detail
In order to ensure the compensation claim process runs smoothly, take some steps to document the accident. Ask the police officers that arrive at the scene to offer their name and badge number because your injury lawyer will get in touch with them when you file for compensation. Ask them to provide you with a copy of the accident report because the insurer needs it to ensure you’re not at fault for the accident. If you’re not hurt and have your phone at hand, take pictures of the accident scene, your vehicle, and the other cars involved in the accident, and write down the other vehicle’s license plate. And don’t forget to talk with some witnesses and take their names and phone numbers in case you need to reach them later.