Car Accident

5 Immediate Things to Do After a Car Accident

Regardless of whether you’ve been involved in a minor or major car accident, it’s important to educate yourself beforehand on how to proceed. The following are some immediate things to do after a car accident:

Remain At The Scene

Whether you’re at fault or not, you should never drive off from the scene of the accident. It is unlawful to leave the scene of an accident without exchanging information with the parties involved, and it could also increase the risk of getting involved in another accident.

This is because if you drive off from the scene and the accident turns out to be more serious than you anticipated, you could be charged with a hit and run. This could result in heavy fines, or you could even end up serving jail time for it.

Therefore, to avoid making matters worse for you, it’s better to remain at the scene of the accident for as long as you’re needed.

Notify The Police

Once you’ve established that you and the other people involved in the accident are safe, call the police immediately. This is because a well-filed police report can go a long way in helping your case if you decide to file an insurance claim.

When the police officers arrive, ensure that you note down their names, badge numbers, and any contact information that will help you reach them at later stages. Some police officers tend to provide the police report at the accident scene, while others don’t. So it’s your responsibility to ensure that you follow up and get that important document.

Take Pictures Of The Scene

After getting involved in a car accident, it’s critical that you take pictures of the accident scene. Fortunately, nowadays, almost every smartphone has a camera you can use to take photos, so you won’t need to find a camera elsewhere.

Ensure that you take pictures of the vehicles, the debris field, and the surrounding areas of the accident. Also, if you’ve sustained any injuries from the accident, take pictures of them too. These pictures will be used for your medical records as you claim compensation from your insurance provider.

The best thing about having photographic evidence with you is that you can discredit any false claims from the other driver about the events of the accidents.

However, as you take pictures of the scene, you should in no way interfere with the police investigation. This means that you should take pictures immediately after the accident before the police arrive.

Seek Medical Attention 

In the aftermath of a car accident, it’s crucial that you seek medical attention even if you can’t feel any injuries. If there’s a bystander certified in first-aid, they can help you if you do feel that you’ve been seriously injured. At times, some of the injuries sustained from an accident might not be evident unless they’re severe.

For this reason, ensure that you seek medical attention within 24 hours of the accident to ensure that you’ve not sustained some hidden injuries in your body. If you don’t do so and you later start experiencing some symptoms, the defense attorney representing your insurance provider can use that against you.

They could allege that the injuries sustained were not from the accident, and this could end with you not getting compensated for the medical expenses.

Contact A Car Accident Lawyer 

Contacting a lawyer is one of the most important things you should do immediately after a car accident. This is because the lawyer will help you navigate the next steps after the accident and ensure that your rights are protected throughout the process.

For this reason, before you provide any statement to your insurance provider, you need to consult your lawyer. 

They’re best suited to offer you sound advice on the matter to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve. Make sure to do your research when finding the best lawyer. No matter where you are, whether you are looking for answers on car accident costs in Salt Lake City or a Rochester car accident lawyer, you can find the right people to ensure you are in good hands. 

Summing Everything Up

In the aftermath of a car accident, following the steps above is your best chance at ensuring that your physical, psychological, and financial well-being are protected after the incident.

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