Getting in a car accident is a scary thing to be a part of no matter how it happens, and there are many different ways in which it could occur. Whether the accident you were involved in was between two vehicles, a motor vehicle and a truck, a motor vehicle and a motorcycle, or even a vehicle and a pedestrian, all parties are at risk of serious injuries, vehicle damage and even trauma. Here are a few things you need to think about to handle an accident.
What You Need to Know
Straight off the bat, you need to make sure that you are clear on the rules of the road. In these cases, you need to be aware of who has right of way under certain circumstances, when pedestrians have right of way, speed limits in various areas, etc. This will help everyone to be clear on whether or not someone was at fault.
Next, it’s important that you have a clear understanding of the nature of the accident. You’ll need to know who was involved, what kinds of vehicles and how many people were affected. Next, try to determine how and why the accident occurred. Was it due to distracted driving, someone being under the influence of alcohol or using a cell phone while driving? Or were there weather conditions that perhaps interfered with the road and caused an issue? All this information is going to be important for any legal cases and insurance claims.
You’ll need to talk to other involved parties and any potential witnesses in order to gather this information and you should be sure to present all your findings and any evidence to the authorities as well.
What You Need to Do
Straight after an accident, it’s important that you stay on the scene for a while (unless you are immediately taken to the hospital). Hanging around after the fact will help you to gather the information we mentioned above, as well as allow you to call and speak to the authorities and get medical help for yourself or anyone else on the scene who may need it.
When speaking to the police or even witnesses and other drivers, avoid saying anything that could be interpreted as you admitting fault. Remain neutral and calm in the situation, even when your instinct might be to apologise or even react aggressively to someone who may have caused the wreck.
Who You Need to Contact
As soon as the initial shock has passed and medical checks have been done, you’ll need to get into contact with your insurance as well as an auto wreck lawyer. Your legal adviser will be able to help you out in the next steps of an accident case and inform you on what to say, how to behave and what the case might entail overall. Your insurance company will need as many details as possible to assist with claims on either your own or another driver’s vehicle.
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