Many of us will be involved in an automotive accident at some point. Even the most minor collisions can become massive headaches, though – sometimes because you or the other parties involved haven’t collected all the details you need to when at the incident scene.
So, to make sure things go as smoothly as possible if you find yourself in this situation, use these tips and reduce the stress of such events. However, these are just some of the tasks you should carry out after an auto accident.
Call the police (and any other services)
It’s essential to ensure you’ve a legal accident report, even if you’ve just had a minor accident. However, before you do this, you should assess if anyone needs any urgent medical attention.
You should stay at the scene and try not to move your vehicle unless it’s causing a significant traffic problem. Wait for the police to arrive before moving anything if you can.
After calling the police, the second person you should call is a car accident lawyer. They can help you avoid any legal pitfalls from the accident (if it was your fault) or, if you are not at fault, help you make a claim for compensation.
Get the facts of the accident
You should get the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all the people involved in the accident and note the car’s description and license plate number. Take details of the insurance company and the car’s vehicle identification number, too, as many insurance companies only record the car type and identification number, not the license plate.
You should limit your discussion of the accident and not admit liability or fault. Only talk about the accident to the police, medical professionals, and your insurance company.
Take pictures
If you have a camera on your phone or in your car, you should take pictures of visible damage on all vehicles involved. Take photos of any visible injuries you’ve sustained as well. Keep in mind that you should not interfere with any ongoing police investigation. You should also take images of the accident scene as soon as possible.
Get medical attention
Some injuries caused by auto accidents are not always immediately apparent; some may feel pain a day or two after the incident. It would be best to get medical attention from your local emergency room, family doctor, or a Hanover Park auto accident lawyer – unless you’re sure you were not injured.
Even accidents with minor impacts can mean a severe and permanent injury to your spinal cord. If you lost consciousness or were dazed for a short time after the accident, you may have had a concussion or closed head injury – which can cause cognitive and behavioral changes if not treated.
Keep a file
Make sure you keep all the information about your accident – including documents – together. These details should include items such as your claim number, the name of the claim adjuster handling your claim, names and phone numbers of all contacts, and any receipts for expenses incurred as a result of the accident (e.g., rental car).
