If you have been injured in an auto accident, and that accident was due to another individual’s carelessness, you have to take proper action in order to avoid making mistakes.
An accident can happen at any time. Even alert individuals can become a victim of an automobile accident. The following steps are going to help you through this difficult situation.
Ensure Your Safety
• Turn your hazard lights on to make sure that oncoming traffic sees you before they get up to you.
• Take the vehicle over to the side of the road and out of traffic if possible
• Make sure that the driver of the other vehicle as well as passengers are checked for injuries
If possible, the vehicle needs to get out of the way of the road so that other traffic not involved in the accident can continue to travel as usual. Moving the vehicle over to the side of the road ensures that traffic can go on. Do not take this opportunity to leave the scene.
Inform The Police
If there are injuries, get medical attention immediately otherwise, and then call the police. Irrespective of the type of damage was done to your vehicle, you need to notify police. If the car driver is considered not at fault, there are several advantages for calling police. The police report that the officer will fill out on scene will most likely also be used by the victim’s insurance claims. This report will have the main details of the accident including:
• Where and when did the accident occur?
• Information about involvement of both drivers
• Eye witness accounts of the occurrence
Keep All Evidence and Information Secure
Once an accident occurs, it’s important that both parties involved exchange information that includes all the driver information. The driver that is considered to be at fault, will be liable to report the mishap to the insurance company. It is important to note that the at fault driver will sometimes fail to report it in order to avoid being in trouble, as per personal injury lawyer in Cornwall.
If this ends up being the case, you have the insurance information of the other driver and you can report it to yourself. Having this information can be beneficial in getting the compensation for car repairs, loss of wages, and medical bills.
You will want to get the following information from the other driver after an accident:
• Phone number and name
• License plate number
• Address
• Insurance company and policy number
• Make and model of the car
You will want to also document the accident by taking photos of the vehicles, any skid marks, and damage done to other property. If witnesses were present when an accident occurred, consider the following information from them:
• Name
• Phone number and email address
• Did they get any pictures of the accident?
Notify Your Insurance Company
It’s your responsibility to notify your insurance company of the accident. Be sure to give your insurance company all the necessary information needed to file your paperwork. Your insurance company may send an adjuster out to look over the accident scene as well as the vehicle.