More than 10 million car collisions happen annually in the United States. If you are involved in a car accident, whether minor or major, it is essential to know the proper steps you must follow afterward.
7 steps you need to follow after a car crash
Firstly, you must ensure that everyone at the accident scene is safe. If you are involved in a car accident, some of the immediate steps that you need to follow are as follows:
- Be calm
- Check for injuries
- Clear the roadway
- Check for vehicle damage
- Always report the accident to law authorities
- Exchange information
- Make a Decision Whether to File an Insurance Claim
- Be calm: You must stay calm at the accident scene and must not get involved in a heated conversation with anyone. This may affect your case in the future and may also have a negative impact on the compensation and your accident claim.
- Check for injuries: If there are any visible injuries, you must check for them. However, it is advisable to call 911 immediately and seek medical help if you have sustained injuries. Sometimes, there may be internal injuries may surface after some time.
- Clear the roadway: You must ensure that your vehicle is out of the way, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). If you are severely injured, you can ask for help and get your vehicle out of the roadway so that approaching vehicles may not face difficulty. If the collision occurs at night, you must turn on the car’s hazard lights to ensure other approaching vehicles may see you. Furthermore, you must try to get you and your vehicle on a safe spot.
- Check for vehicle damage: If your vehicle is damaged, you must take time to analyze it. Try to collect evidence by capturing pictures of the cars, their vehicle number, and damage done to the vehicle. All these will help in your car accident lawsuit in the future.
- Always report the accident to law authorities: You must call the law enforcement authorities to report the accident, whether the accident is minor or major. You must also get the police report copy that will help you in the future.
- Exchange information: You should collect information from the other driver after an accident. You must note the names and insurance information of the other driver, phone number, vehicle number, any witness’s contact information, and the law enforcement officer’s badge number who is present at the accident scene.
- Make a Decision Whether to File an Insurance Claim: Car insurance will provide financial protection if you get involved in an accident. The insurance claim may help you to bear the expenses of property damage and bodily injury. Liability coverage may help other drivers and passengers reimburse if someone else is at fault.
Therefore, filing an insurance claim immediately after an accident is always suggested. Furthermore, you must also provide necessary evidence to the insurance company, such as driver’s information, photos, police report copy, and other documents. After that, an insurance adjuster will look into your case and help you with the claim process.
