Car accidents are no fun. They are unexpected, cause damage to your car, and can even land you with some medical bills. They seem to occur at the worst possible time, just when you are in a rush to get somewhere. When an accident occurs, it is important to know what to do. We hope that you never get into an accident, but if you do, make sure you do the things below to ensure that the rest of the process goes smoothly.
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Call the Police – Even if it is a minor accident, you should call the police so that they can file a report. This way if the other person does not want to pay any damages, you have the information on file that you can turn to in the event of a lawsuit.
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Take Pictures – While you are waiting for the police to arrive, take some pictures of the accident. Make sure you get both of the vehicles, and any damage that has occurred. If the accident occurred due to something in the surrounding area, it is a good idea to get a picture of that too. You can’t have enough pictures, so take as many as you can. If you don’t have your camera with you, your cell phone most likely will, and it’ll do in a pinch.
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Swap Insurance Information – Before you let the other driver go, be sure you have all of their information. This includes name, phone number, license plate, make/model of the car, and their insurance information. You are going to need this information when it comes time to file a claim, so write it all down or save it into your phone. The other driver will most likely want this information from you as well, so be sure to have yours ready for them.
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Get Medical Help – If you suspect any sort of injury at all, you should seek medical assistance. If you don’t go for help now, and end up having problems at a later date as a result of the accident, you are going to have a hard time filing a claim and getting it paid for. It is better to play it safe, so if you have any slight suspicion that you’ve been injured, head on over and see a doctor as soon as you can.
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Get a Lawyer- If everything above goes smoothly, you most likely won’t need a lawyer. However, in some cases, you are going to want to have one, especially if you need to file a personal injury claim. For example, if the other driver caused the accident, and is refusing to make payments, you may need to sue them. It is at this point that you are going to want a car accident attorney. We know that not everyone can afford an attorney, so if you are on a budget, look around for attorneys that are on the lowest possible tier. These lawyers usually focus on things like car accidents, but will not cost you as much money.
Hopefully you won’t need the above advice, but if you ever do, you’ll be glad to know what to do after an accident. The most important thing to remember after an accident however is simply to remain calm. Take a couple of deep breaths before starting the list above, and you’ll feel much better. Getting angry or upset will only make things worse, and as long as you are not injured, remember that it is only a car, and it can be repaired. So stay calm, use the list above, and you’ll be just fine.