Things to Do After a Road Accident

It doesn’t matter how big or small it is, a road traffic accident can be a terrifying experience. When it happens to you, you have to do all that you can to stay calm so that you can think clearly and take the necessary steps to ensure that you are safe and others on the road are safe with you. It’s a privilege to be a driver on the road today, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t those out there who don’t take that privilege seriously. As a driver you have to be as responsible as possible for the way that you move, but you also have to hope that other people are, to. With this in mind, here are things that you should be doing after an accident on the road.

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• Get in touch with an accident lawyer. Redlich’s Injury Lawyers is just one example of lawyers that you can get in contact with if you had an accident on the road. They are there to help you to understand what your rights are legally and what your options are after an accident has taken place. Whether the driver of the other car is at fault, or whether you are at fault, lawyers can help you to recover damages from the responsible party or help you to file a police report or an insurance claim. If you have somebody in your corner helping you with a legal mind, you can fight your case and focus on recovering. An accident takes a lot out of you, but it doesn’t have to.
• Get some medical help. It doesn’t matter how small the injury is, you need to make sure that you are getting help. Seeking medical attention is important if you plan to make a compensation claim, because there needs to be some evidence of your injuries on file. Even if the injuries feel minor, it’s better to make sure that you are safe than sorry, because your injury could need physiotherapy. There are some injuries that don’t manifest immediately, either such as bruising or whiplash. When you seek medical attention straight away, you get a good record of your injuries which is going to help with your insurance claim. Your legal team should remind you to do this.
• Gather as much information as you can. After you have ensured that everybody is safe, you need to exchange information with the other driver. You’ll need their name and contact information as well as their insurance company and policy number if they have it on hand. They should only be done if they are able to talk, as post accident it depends on how severe it was. Take pictures of the accident, their license plate and the vehicle, and any damage that has been done to both of the cars. If there have been any witnesses to the accident on the road, ask them for their contact information and whether they will be helping the police on your behalf. Even if the accident feels minor and it was just a Fender Bender, you need to do this.
• Call your insurance company. As soon as you can, you should notify the insurance companies that an accident has occurred and give them all of the information. You should give them everything from the insurance company and policy number of the other driver, as well as their name and their contact information. You should also give them as detailed an account as possible as to what happened and any evidence that you have collected. Be very honest about what happened including if you are the person that was at fault, because any misrepresentations could void your policy. If you are unsure about anything, give them more information than they need and then the rest will come in time.
• Liaise with your legal team. After an accident there is a chance you’re going to be contacted by the insurance company from the other side. They may ask for a recorded statement or assign statement or a release of information. If you do get contacted, direct them towards your lawyer, and don’t answer any questions or admit any fault even if you are at fault. Let your lawyer handle it.

Car accidents are never fun to be involved in, but once you’ve been in one and you know how to handle it, you’ll know what to do if it happens again. No matter what you do, make sure that you take a detailed history and write down everything as early as possible so you don’t forget.