Car accidents happen every day. Fortunately, most of them, the only real damage is the proprietary, while the driver and everyone else might only get a scratch. Stats say that only one in three people end up with more serious personal injuries while one in ten accidents has a fatal outcome.
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If you want to know how to behave after an accident, we’ve got you covered. We’ll share a few simple tricks that you should do after the accident to protect yourself, your property, and your best interests.
Stay on the Spot
The first thing every driver should have in mind is not to leave the scene of an accident. Even if you think that nothing happened and that everyone is okay, you should stop, turn off your car and check the other vehicles.
Only if you both see that nothing happened and that you pressed your brake on time, then you can drive away. As that’s rarely the case, you need to get outside, talk to the other driver and protect the scene until the police arrive.
Protect the Scene
If you want to give other drivers a sign that there was an accident, make sure to set up flares or keep your flasher lights on at all times. Also, get everyone from your car outside, so they’re not in danger while the police arrive. If it’s dark and your lights don’t work, use a flashlight to keep yourself while you wait beside the road.
Contact Your Personal Injury Lawyer
One of the best things you can do after a car accident is to contact your injury lawyer. As stated by a Lexington Personal Injury Lawyer, with the help of a legal professional, you’ll determine whether your case has a chance in court and how much you can ask as compensation. What’s more, with various factors involved in an accident, you’ll know exactly what to hope for in a case like this.
Take Pictures
Nowadays, when everyone has a camera on their phone, it would be good to take several photos of the other car, make a video of the whole situation, have their license plates, and have the crash’s images caused by the collision.
Some of the pictures might be considered proof of your case ever gets to court as they’ll prove your claim. Also, even if the other driver decides to leave before the police come, you’ll have their license plate and a photo of the car so that the police can find them.
Talk to the Police
When the police arrive, try to tell the investigators how things happened and the best and clearest possible way. If there’s anything you don’t know, feel free to say it without speculating. And If they ask you about injuries, it’s normal to be unsure as you might be in a state of shock.
Should there be any witnesses, talk to them and ask for their contact so that your attorney can contact them or ask to come and testify in court. When you get the police’s official report, you’ll get a number that you can call and get all the information.
Seek Medical Attention
Often, injuries caused by car accidents are not visible in the first few hours. Most people feel pain for a few days, so they decide to check it with their doctor.
Unless you’re certain that there were no consequences after the accident, it’s best if a physician would do a quick check-up. Sometimes, even in minor accidents that involve negligible impact, it’s possible to hurt your neck or spinal cord.
Contact Your Insurance
Another important call you ought to make is to contact your insurance company. Most policies require immediate reporting and cooperation as you might have some medical benefits, depending on where you live. While Welsh residents enjoy free care on the NHS, if you live overseas and have Med pay, then you should use it to check if you’re okay.
With Medpay, you’re obliged to send any medical bills to the insurance company. If you’ve exhausted those benefits, your primary health insurance becomes the primary insurer. Only if you got injured in the accident, you’d get to think about your insurance and get them to cover your medical expenses.
The most important thing you need to do after an accident is to protect yourself. Of course, one of the best ways is to consult with a seasoned lawyer that will give you precise instructions on what to do.
Insurance companies sometimes ask for your immediate statement, and it’s best to talk to your lawyer before giving it. That way, you’ll protect yourself and your best interests, even if you decide to take your case to court.