Car

7 Steps You Should Take When Involved in a Car Accident

Spread the love

Car accidents happen all the time. Being an articulate driver may not protect you from a car accident. 

It’s always a good idea that you prepare yourself while on the road by knowing exactly what steps to take when involved in a car accident.

In today’s article, you will learn what to do after a car crash if you are anywhere in the United States. 

Here are seven steps you need to take immediately after a car accident.

1. Check Yourself

Anytime you are involved in a car crash, check your body to know if you have open wounds or bruises.

If the motor accident occurred on a lonely highway and your vehicle is still in perfect condition to drive, move it to a safer neighborhood.

And if the car was completely wrecked but you managed to survive it, leave the vehicle there and move to a safer location where you can take care of your health. You want to be sure you are safe before anything else.

Put the reflective emergency triangles to warn other drivers so that they don’t crash into it.

ALSO READ:

2. Dial 9-1-1

Why you should call 911 when your vehicle is involved in an accident

Immediately an accident occurs, the first line of action to take is to check yourself. Pull yourself out if you are trapped and can still move your body, and instantly dial 9-1-1.

It doesn’t matter if you were hurt or not. Go ahead and call the emergency number of your own good. 

Some of the reasons why you are advised to call 9-1-1 immediately after a car accident are:

  • The police must be present at the scene of every car accident.
  • The police will take statements of the incident alongside the copies of drivers’ licenses and registrations.
  • When you call 9-1-1 and the police officer appears at the scene of the accident and makes a proper statement, you will be given a police report number.
  • The police officers at the scene of the car accident will determine if your vehicle needs to be towed or not.

Please, understand that the police report number issued to you by the police officer will always be needed if you want to visit the hospital or file an insurance claim of any kind. 

3. Take Proper Note of Everything that Happened at the Scene of the Car Accident

Before you can file an auto insurance claim that will eventually get approved, you will need to have enough information about the other driver you had an accident with if the crash involved two or more drivers.

Insurance companies always advise their clients to avoid getting into informal interaction with the driver they had an accident with so that they don’t end up admitting that they were guilty.

Limit your conversation by asking for the necessary information only from the other driver. The information you gather at this point will help you when filing your auto insurance claim.

Here are some of the details you will need before you can file a claim:

  • Name and insurance information (if any) of the other driver
  • The other driver’s telephone number
  • Contact information of the witnesses, if any
  • Photographs and videos of the damage
  • Police report number
  • Police officer’s name and telephone number
  • Personal notes on what happened during the incident

4. Take Clear, Accurate and Detail Photos and Videos of the Car Accident

Take photos and videos after a car insurance for filing claims

Your insurance company will require you to present proof that the accident actually happened. And if for any reason they reject your car insurance claim, your attorney will need the same detailed photos and videos of the accident to challenge them in court.

Even though your insurer will also take their own photos and videos, it’s also important that you have your own independent picture evidence.

ALSO READ:

5. Stay Alert Regarding Everything that Happens After a Car Accident

Stay alert regarding everything that happens. Ask the police necessary questions about what is happening to your vehicle. If it’s being towed, ask where it’s been taken to.

If you have valuable items inside your car, request to remove them before the car is taken away. And once you’ve gathered all the necessary information from the scene of the accident, request a ride from any of the best car-hailing companies near you like Uber, Lyft, etc. to take you home.

6. Reach Out to a Medical Expert

After the adrenaline has worn out, the pain might return. This is why it’s important that you reach out to a medical expert to re-examine you and conduct a proper medical checkup to be sure there’s no internal bleeding.

Internal bleeding can easily be discovered and treated if you report at the hospital in record time. Because there was no physical injury should not discourage you from utilizing your health insurance privileges. You might want to check out how health insurance works and how to file a health insurance claim that won’t get rejected.

7. File a Car Insurance Claim

How to file your auto insurance claim after a car accident

The 7th and probably the most important thing you should do after a car accident that didn’t claim your life is to file a car insurance claim. 

Gather all the necessary information you need, contact your insurer and let them know that you want to file a claim.

You can check out these 7-step processes to filing an auto insurance claim. An active car insurance policy protects other road users if you damage their vehicle or property. In addition to this, you also get coverage for the treatment of injury, repair of your damaged car or its replacement.

ALSO READ:

You may also like

Comments are closed.

More in:Car

0 %