No one wants to be in a car accident, and most people do everything they can to avoid accidents while they are on the road. However, accidents can still occur despite your best efforts to avoid them.
Often, accidents occur because of a driver’s error – whether it is your error or the other party’s – but they can also sometimes occur due to weather conditions or other situations.
This is why you always need to know what to do if you are ever in a car accident. Luckily, this post is here to help with that.
Table of Contents
Get a lawyer
As mentioned, car accidents aren’t always due to someone’s negligence. There are many cases where freak accidents happen. In some cases, there may not even be another car or party involved in the accident – such as if you ran into a pole.
However, if you do believe that the accident was a result of someone else’s irresponsible driving, you should consider getting a lawyer, as you may be able to receive some kind of compensation if you were to file a lawsuit against the person you believe to be responsible. If possible, try to get a lawyer who specializes in these types of cases, such as Lamber Goodnow Accident Lawyers.
Take photos of the accident scene
You need to take photos of the accident scene as well as of your car and any other cars that were involved. You should also try to get photos of your injuries.
There are many reasons for this. Firstly, if you do decide to pursue a legal course of action, you will likely need some kind of evidence of the damage caused by the accident. You will likely also need to open a police report, and photos can come in handy there as well.
Finally, your car insurance provider may require that you send photos of the damage to them so that they can assess your claim.
Go see a doctor
Of course, if the accident was very severe, the odds are that there will be an ambulance and paramedics ready to assist you at the scene.
But in some cases, people may feel entirely normal after an accident, especially if it was a minor one like a bumper bash. Many people think that they obtained no injuries during the crash, so they never end up going to the doctor.
The reality is that you should always get checked out by a doctor after an accident, even if you don’t think you have any injuries. This is because your body may be in shock, which could be masking your pain. You also need to keep in mind that issues like whiplash or concussions might not be immediately obvious at first, which is why you definitely need to see a medical professional to get the all-clear after an accident.
Get the other person’s details
We understand that you’re probably feeling very overwhelmed after a car accident. Most people tend to panic, and they often forget to think logically. And, of course, some people are injured or even unconscious, which means that they also can’t do much.
That being said, you should do your best to get the details of the other people involved, as this will make other steps – such as opening a police report, submitting an insurance claim, or filing a lawsuit – so much easier. Keep in mind that this goes both ways, so you should be willing to give them your details as well.
Try to sort out your finances
Most car accidents will cost you at least some money unless the accident was truly not serious at all.
How much you will need to pay will depend on various things, such as how badly the car was damaged, how serious your injuries are, and whether or not you have insurance. If you decide to get a car accident lawyer, this will cost you some money as well. Hopefully, you have made preparations for unexpected expenses, but if not, you will need to try to find the necessary money some other way.
Get your car repaired
In some cases, your car may be damaged beyond repair, and you may have no other option than to get a new car.
If possible, though, you should try to find out whether your car can be repaired, as this is often a much cheaper route to go. If you will be doing the repairs through your insurance provider, they will likely arrange it for you, but if not, try to get a few quotes from different mechanics so that you can ensure you get the best option for you.
Contact your insurance provider
As you can imagine, taking care of your health comes first, but as soon as you feel okay, you should get in touch with your insurance provider.
You may need to pay the other person’s damages, or your own car may have been damaged in the accident. Either way, your car insurance company needs to be informed of the accident as soon as possible. You may also need to contact your health insurance provider if you suffered any injuries as a result of the accident.
Get witness details as well
We’ve already mentioned that you need to get the details of anyone involved in the accident, but you should also try to get the details of anyone who witnessed it, even if they weren’t directly involved in it.
This can be helpful when it comes to things like police reports and lawsuits since you will have someone who can confirm that you are telling the truth.
In conclusion
While being in a car accident can be incredibly traumatic, you need to try to prepare yourself for the worst by making sure that you know which steps to follow if you ever are in such a situation.
We hope that you are never involved in a car crash, but we also hope that, if you are, this post gave you some helpful guidance on what steps to take.
