Next Thing to Do Immediately After a Car Accident
Have you ever been in a car accident and wondered what you should do immediately after? Whether your car was hit from behind, or you were rear-ended, the immediate aftermath of the incident can be confusing and stressful, leaving you wondering how to best handle the situation. Fortunately, there are steps you can take right away to help ensure that your rights are protected, while we, Houston Car Accident Lawyers, help victims to get coverage for injuries and damage to your vehicle. Here’s what you should do right after an accident.
Call your insurance company After Car Accident
If you’re insured, call your insurance provider immediately. Be sure to get any required information from everyone involved in the accident and take note of their contact info (name, address, phone number). The police or tow truck operator may offer to write up a report—don’t let them until you have notified your insurance company.
Your insurer will be able to advise you on how to proceed next. While they do that, here are some steps you can take Actions to Take after a Car Accident:
Getting medical attention for yourself if necessary, and finding out if anyone else was injured in the crash. If so, ensure they receive medical attention as well.
Hire Houston personal injury attorney if you think it was not your fault and you need financial recoveries for the damages.
Try to exchange contact information with any witnesses who might be willing to share what happened leading up to and during the crash with your insurance company later on. This could help prove liability in court down the road if it ever comes to that.
Get photographs of all damage done to both vehicles by taking pictures from different angles before anyone touches anything.
Take pictures of the Car Accident Scene
If you have a camera on your phone, take pictures of what happened: vehicles, drivers, and anything else that might be relevant. This is also a good time to call emergency services if anyone was injured in the accident. If your windshield has been damaged by flying debris from another car after a collision, don’t drive until it has been replaced—you could end up hurting yourself or someone else. It’s better to wait for help than try to make it home on your own. In most cases, insurance companies will require photographic evidence before approving repairs. For example, some insurers now offer an app that lets you instantly upload photos taken at crash scenes to their secure servers.
Having a record can protect both parties involved as well as reduce confusion down the road when negotiating compensation with your insurer. You should also contact your agent and give them all of the details about your claim, including any injuries you sustained. Take notes about what happened: If you weren’t driving, write down everything you saw leading up to and during the accident.
Contact the other driver’s insurance company
Even if you don’t think you were at fault, it’s important to speak with your insurance company as soon as possible. The other driver may not have enough coverage to cover all of your expenses, and their policy won’t kick in until they file a claim—which means that their insurer will be digging for any way possible to avoid paying for damages. Your insurance provider will help you understand what your rights are in terms of getting reimbursed for repairs or pain and suffering. If you aren’t sure who to call, meet our Personal Injury Lawyers Houston today!
If you aren’t insured through a company, contact your state department of motor vehicles (DMV) directly. In some states, car owners must carry liability insurance; if yours doesn’t meet that requirement, then he or she is likely uninsured. While many drivers do purchase additional liability coverage from their own insurance companies, make sure you know exactly what kind of policy you have before contacting them. And remember: No matter how minor an accident seems, never leave the scene without exchanging information with another driver. The more prepared you are ahead of time, the less hassle you’ll face after an accident. That being said, here are a few things to keep in mind when talking with your insurance provider:
How much will my deductible be? A deductible is essentially an amount of money that you pay out-of-pocket before your insurance kicks in. Most deductibles range between $500 and $1,000 depending on your plan and location.
Call 911 if necessary
If you or another person has been seriously injured in a car accident, it’s important to call 911. Emergency medical assistance may be required for your safety and well-being, or other people involved in the accident. Even if you feel like you aren’t hurt badly, there could be hidden injuries that won’t become apparent until hours later.
It’s better to err on the side of caution by calling 911 after a car accident. In addition, some states require drivers to call 911 following a 18 wheeler collision. In these cases, failure to do so can result in penalties from $100 up to $1000 depending on state law. The fine amount will vary based on state laws but not reporting is usually grounds for ticketing regardless of any other consequences at hand. In New York City, for example, a driver who causes an accident resulting in property damage must report it within 24 hours to avoid fines.
To learn more about car accidents, car accident attorney houston. If you have additional questions about what to do after a car accident, please contact us today. We have knowledgeable staff standing by ready to answer all of your questions regarding auto insurance claims!
Get medical help if you were injured
Your priority is to be sure you are safe. If you or someone else was injured, seek medical attention right away. File a police report: If you can, file a police report immediately after an accident, even if no one appears to be hurt. Gathering evidence about what happened can help ensure your claim for damages will be considered stronger than someone who didn’t call 911 or file a police report at all. This also gives you more time to gather witnesses and other evidence that could prove useful later on.
Talk with your insurance company: Regardless of fault, make sure to contact your insurance company as soon as possible after an accident. The sooner they know about it, the sooner they can start gathering information and working on helping you get back on track with repairs and compensation for any injuries or property damage sustained in the crash. Make sure to get copies of any incident reports filed by law enforcement.
Call your insurance company: Once you’ve checked on yourself and anyone else involved in an accident, contact your insurance company and give them as much information as possible—including names and contact information of other drivers involved in an accident and witnesses who saw what happened. Ask questions: Make sure that whoever takes down your initial account has all of the details correct so that there aren’t any mistakes when it comes time to process your claim.
Apart from this, we are here to help you protect your rights! Contact Personal Injury Lawyers today to evaluate your case in Houston today!