On your way to work, you stop at a red light. The car behind you doesn’t notice this and slams into the back of your car. Now, you have to figure out what to do.
There are some basic steps that you should complete after you are involved in a car accident. These can help ensure that you cover your bases just in case you decide to seek compensation from the driver who rear-ended your vehicle.
Contact the police and emergency services
Whether you think you are injured or not, make sure that you contact the police and emergency services. The police officer who comes out will make a police report about what happened. This is something that you can turn to later for information if necessary. You will have to give your side of the story to the police officer who responds. Make sure that you are honest, but don’t say anything that might make the officer think that you are responsible for the accident. Calling 911 can also get the paramedics to the scene of the accident if you are injured.
Gather contact information and pictures
Gather contact information from the other driver. You should also get insurance information from that driver. If you don’t have anything to write on or with, just snap a quick picture of the insurance card. You should also get contact information from any witnesses. Take notes about the scene and then take pictures if you can. All of this can help you to show what happened.
Seek medical care for your injuries
If you don’t need to go to the hospital via an ambulance from the scene, you should still seek medical care. You might have injuries that you don’t realize. Having an evaluation can help to uncover these injuries if they are present. It also establishes a connection between the injuries and the accident through your medical records.
Contact the appropriate representatives
You will need to alert the insurance company to the accident. As you deal with these representatives, use the same advice as when you talked to the police officer. Don’t say anything that the representative might construe as an admission of fault. Even saying you are sorry could be misconstrued. You don’t have to deal directly with the insurance company as you can opt to have your lawyer handle this task.
Explore your options for compensation
You might choose to seek compensation for the injuries you suffered in the accident. The damages you can claim don’t end with only reimbursement for medical care expenses. You can also include money for the time you missed from work and other damages.
Source: Nov. 30, -0001
