What To Do After A Car Accident: A Step-By-Step Guide

Shit happens, and that is especially true about vehicles. They tend to bump into other machines. They are the primary goals of falling objects. Their motors are capricious and love letting you down in the middle of an empty highway on your ride to the South Rim.

When you buy car insurance, you always hope that you will never have a chance to use it, but oops… or WHAT THE HELL!!!

While your reaction is unpredictable and, most likely, cannot be expressed with non-vulgar words, your actions following the event are direct. Here is an ultimate guide on what to do after an auto accident.

Step 1: Make sure no one is in danger

The first measure to take is checking whether everyone is safe and sound. The algorithm of your actions looks like this:

• Press the button of an emergency flasher and get out of the car (if you are able to do so).
• If it is not a small fender bender, and you suspect that somebody may be in danger, you must immediately summon the police and an ambulance to the scene. Call 911. Even if the situation is not serious, you still need to call the cops to get a police accident report.
• If you recognize that the situation is not critical, then you need to contact a law enforcement agency. The numbers of such services vary by state, so learn by heart your local non-emergency accident numbers.
• If you have flares, you should put them around the disabled vehicle, warning other people about a traffic obstruction. If you do not have any, switch hazard warning lights in your car.
• Do not flee the accident site until the reps of a local law enforcement agency arrive.

Step 2: Examine the accident scene and collect information

Once you have ensured that no one is severely hurt, you need to record what has happened. Take photos and videos of the vehicles involved, the location, road signs, the damaged property, and other specifics of the accident. If it is possible, move your car to clear the way, but only after taking all necessary photos and videos.

Do not scold the people involved in the accident and do not admit your guilt/fault, as everything that you say may be used against you if you are brought to court. Collect contact and insurance information from every party that is involved and/or witnessed the collision. This may be your lifesaver in case of a lawsuit.

If you deal with an uninsured motorist, make sure to collect important contact information from them, including the full name, address, phone numbers, and driving license details. If the driver is insured, collect their policy number. You should also provide your information to other drivers if you are involved in a crash with them. Make sure to collect photos/videos from other drivers/witnesses if they have taken any.

Now collect information on the vehicle that collided with yours, including its brand, model, year, and automobile identification number.

Do not forget to obtain a copy of a traffic accident! It is very important.

When the police arrive, take notice of the names and badge numbers of the officers. You may be asked to pay an administrative fee for such a service (nearly $20).

Remember: if you are not at fault, you still need to take your time and effort to collect all the shreds of evidence proving your guiltlessness. The more you record, the more information you gather, the higher your odds of success in the courtroom.

Step 3: Call your insurer

Now it is time to call your underwriter and report the thing. Tell the manager what happened, provide all the information you have obtained, including pictures/videos. Sometimes the company will want to send their loss adjuster to the scene to access it before satisfying your claim.

In fact, you need to call your insurer even if the accident is minor. And never refrain from filing a claim, as side effects of your attempt to avoid a potential increase in your premiums may lead to even higher financial losses in the future as surely as the company may even deny certain protections in your policy if the truth once crops up.

Step 4: Contact your attorney

Contacting your car attorney never hurts when it comes to troubleshooting an issue. Do not skip this measure even if the fender bender seems pretty minor. Any party involved in the affair may want to go to trial and restore justice (milk you of some money), so make sure you are protected from all sides.

Moreover, your carrier is more interested in collecting bigger premiums from you rather than paying a nice reimbursement on your claim, so a good car lawyer will also help you have your whack of the insurer. Contact your car attorney to discuss the case and develop an action strategy for all the scenarios possible in your situation.

Step 5: Keep all records

It is also within your strategy to keep all the papers, documents, bills, and receipts that may anyhow relate to the accident or its consequences. Make sure you have the next documentation in hands:

• Accident and damage reports, repair estimates, and invoices.
• All the documents from the police, an insurance company, court that you receive as a part of the investigation.
• All the medical records, including your doctor’s reports, medical assessments, emergency room reports, drug/treatment/healthcare receipts.
• All papers showing that your ability to work and earn was compromised.

You may also want to keep a diary where you will describe in detail the emotional distress and mental problems you start experiencing after the accident. This may help you get decent compensation even if the incident has not caused any physical, quantifiable damage.

Step 6: Visit your doctor

You may not experience any physical pain during the first moments after the collision, but it is not a reason to skip a medical checkup. While adrenaline is flooding your veins, you may feel no physical soreness, since this hormone is a notorious pain soother. However, delayed car accident symptoms may show up after hours/days/weeks, while a failure to see a doctor within 72 hours after the event may affect your compensation if you eventually decide to file for personal injury compensation.

So, even if you are not bleeding after the accident, your bones seem to be whole and no bruises color your body, you yet need to make your way to your physician to make sure everything is OK with your body and organism. If it is not, do not forget to collect all the records your doctor will issue about the injuries you received as a result of a car accident.

Step 7: Think twice about a quick settlement

If it is not your wrongful driving that caused that collision, and the victim is you, you may find yourself in a situation that the carrier/attorney of the guilty party asks you to sign a release form to save the chauffeur at fault from the liability in exchange for some cash indemnification.

Well, such practices are legal, and you may be offered really good money, tempting you to sign the paper immediately. Still, there are some things to consider before agreeing to the release of all claims:

• Ensure the money suggested to you under a quick settlement agreement covers all the losses incurred by you after an accident. Remember, after affixing your signature, you will not be eligible to file any additional claims related to the accident. This is especially true if you have not yet completed your medical treatment, or your wrecked car is still in the repair shop.
• In such situations, insurance companies do not act to your benefit. Indeed, they are trying to protect their interests and the interests of their clients. It means, their offer is, most likely, not enough to fully pay for your physical and emotional damage. If you agree to a quick settlement, feel free to name your price, otherwise, go to court to pursue fair compensation.

Step 8: Take care of your damaged car

The condition of your car is the last thing you should worry about after calling emergency services and the police, contacting your insurer, and consulting your advocate. Here are two variants of your actions:

• You can take your unhappy auto to a repair facility for repair (remembering to collect all the bills and quotes for towing/repairing/any other related services).
• You can take your car to your garage and wait for an early settlement to get money for repairs and avoid paying out of your wallet.

Step 9: It is all nearly over, but…

The vital steps to take immediately after the car incident are described above. Still, like any other phenomenon in this life, there are subtle aspects to bear:

• Time limits for claims. Every region sets its specific time frames during which you can lay claims, and then these terms are over, you lose your right to make any claims. The statute of limitations is also described in your car insurance policy, so make sure you get your claim filed and settled before all the allowed periods expire.
• Uninsured motorists. If the guilty driver turns out to be insured, you may face all your bills and related expenses remain unreimbursed. If it is your situation (I’m sorry), you are eligible to lodge a lawsuit against the person at fault to pay for all your expenditures by court order. If your policy covers uninsured/underinsured drivers, then the costs you face will be covered by your own insurance.
• Unforeseen expenses. Get ready that you may face many additional, hard-to-predict costs associated with the crash and its repercussions. That is why it makes sense to closely work with your lawyer to process the issue, protect your rights, and weigh all the pros and cons of an early settlement, if you will be offered one.