Directly following a car accident people are often very emotional. It can be hard to think straight when you are scared and possibly angry. This is why it is a good idea to think ahead about what you would do if you are in a car accident. We all know that getting legal help with your accident case is a helpful step, but before this step, there are a few things you should do to cover all your bases.
This handy guide will take you step by step through the 4 most important things you should do immediately following your car accident.
Check For Injuries and Contact Authorities
First, check you and your passengers for injuries. If no one needs immediate help, go ahead and contact the authorities as quickly as possible. This is also a good time to check to see if anyone in the other vehicle is injured. Be sure to give the authorities good details concerning where you are and what has happened.
Do Not Accept Responsibility
If you begin to communicate with the people in the other vehicle that was involved, it is vitally important that you do not discuss who was at fault. Do not start explaining to them what you did or what you think happened. You are under contract with your insurance company not to discuss this. It is the job of the police and the insurance companies to determine who was at fault. Do not discuss the wreck or apologize or say anything that would hold you’re responsible for the accident, even if you were at fault, the police and the insurance companies will decide this.
Gather Images
As soon as possible, you need to begin to gather images on your phone of the damage to your vehicle and the other vehicle. This is important to do quickly in case someone decides to touch something or move something. These images will be very helpful for the police as well as for the insurance companies involved. These images will help them to determine who was at fault and how much damage took place at the accident. A video of injured persons in the wreck could also be helpful.
Hire Legal Representation
If it becomes necessary for you to contact a car accident lawyer, gathering evidence images and getting your story straight will be very important. A car accident lawyer can help individuals who have been in accidents. If the insurance companies are not able to fairly determine who was at fault or they are unwilling to fairly compensate the victim of the car accident, a car accident lawyer can be hired to make sure things are done justly.