While everyone likes to think of themselves as a good driver, the chances that you will be involved in an auto accident are pretty high. It may be your fault, or it may be another driver’s fault, but you will need to know how to deal with an accident and any problems that come from that.
Get Medical Attention
Chances are, if you are in an accident, someone in your car is hurt pretty badly. According to Hasner Law, 2.3 million people were injured on America’s roadways in a recent year. You may feel fine at first, but that doesn’t mean that everything is okay. Car accidents can trigger a rush of adrenaline, which causes you to ignore injuries or pain. Make sure that you visit a doctor relatively quickly after your accident, especially if it was at high speeds. Something that feels like an ache could be indicating muscular damage that you won’t know about until it is much worse. Finding this out quickly can also allow you to receive compensation from the other driver if they were at fault.
Document the Crash
Even if it’s not what is first on your mind, you need to document the crash as well as you can. When you are talking to your insurance, they will want details about where you were, what was going on, what happened, and what the damage is. Jotting down as many details as you can immediately after the accident can give you the most accurate account of what happened. Any pictures that you can take of your car and the other vehicles that are involved will be incredibly helpful as well. You should also try to get pictures of the location and what is going on.
Talk to the Authorities First
You should check on all the other people involved in the accident, but don’t admit guilt or discuss what happened in the accident until you have had a chance to talk to the police. They are the ones who will assess what happened, assign blame, and write tickets. You should tell them the truth, but you don’t want to say something to the other person that may make it seem like you are guilty. You want your statement and their statement to be free of bias when it comes to the other person’s actions, so hold off until authorities get there. This can also help if emotions are running high because people are less likely to get angry and lash out with the police present.
It’s never pleasant to deal with the circumstance that results from a car accident, but it is manageable. Remember to talk to the authorities and your insurance and let them settle things. Nothing is gained by lashing out at the other person involved, as they are having just as hard of a time as you are.