Automobile

What You Need to Do After You Have Been in a Car Accident

It is safe to say that most of the motor vehicle accidents that occur in the world each day only result in minor damage to the vehicles involved and at the most some minor injuries to the persons involved.

However, just because many motor vehicle accidents do not involve any major damage does not mean that the people who are involved in them can ignore them and move on from the site of the accident immediately.  Commonly, people are in so much of a hurry that they forget the protocols of dealing with a motor vehicle accident.

In this article we share with the most important things that you need to do after a DC car accident lawyer in the hope that if you are unfortunately involved in one you will know what it is you need to do.  Read on!

how long do accident claims take in SG?If your case is straightforward and your harm is minimal, it can take 1 to 3 months to get your case settled.

Stay at the Site of the Accident

There is nothing to be gained from leaving the site of an accident.  It is best to stop your vehicle immediately and park it, whatever way you can and then, get out of it after checking to make sure it is safe to do so.

Even if you are not hurt, get out of the car and carefully monitor the surroundings. See if someone is hurt – check all drivers and occupants of involved vehicles, even if they do not appear injured. Then check if there has been damage to any of the vehicles involved. Talk to the other driver or drivers involved and do your best to remain calm and keep others calm.  Do not get angry.

Take Protective Measures for Others Approaching the Accident Site

Even if you have not been hurt, the accident might have caused some damage to the road. Also, glass pieces from your vehicle and the others involved might be on the road.

Other uninvolved vehicles who are coming from behind you at a high speed might not be able to see the accident site and are in danger of crashing into the stopped vehicles making the situation significantly worse. Try highlighting the crash site for those who are coming from behind by turning on emergency lights, using torches and setting up emergency signs if available.

Call The Police

Do this even if you don’t have to report anyone’s mistake. Filing a report helps you claim your insurance later on.

Calling the police and making the matter official also helps you find better solutions to getting your vehicles removed if necessary. Not taking this step might lead you to facing prosecution from the police at a later stage.

Take Pictures

It is a very wise idea to take photographs of the crash site and vehicles involved. Take care not to interfere with the police who might be investigating the scene.

Taking pictures of the damage to your vehicle, of the road, of the other vehicle’s number plate involved in the accident, and of your injuries can provide you will helpful evidence for your property damage and injury insurance claims. You can also provide the evidence to your Schenk Podolsky lawyer so that they can help you with your claim.

Obtain the Relevant Details of the Other Parties

Even if nothing major has happened and even if the police have not arrived on the scene, be a responsible citizen who is aware of the law and its formalities. Do not let the accident scare you enough to forget about everything.

Rather, take the names and ID details as well as the vehicle’s registration numbers of all the parties that have been involved in the accident. We suggest recording a video of being engaged in this activity too.

If the other people are comfortable with it, try taking their personal contacts too. These records can help you in the later dealings that relate to the accident.

Seek Medical Attention

No matter how minimal your think your injury is, seeking medical attention is essential in case of an accident- whether minor or big.

You might have an injury that you are aware of which can sometimes happen when you are in shock!

Notify Your Insurance Company

After the accident you should notify your insurance company that the accident has occurred.  They will provide you with paperwork to complete.  You should do this as soon as possible and whilst the incident is fresh in your mind as time tends to play tricks on people’s memories.  You can provide the details of the parties and photographs to your insurance company

Be aware that many insurance companies have clearly defined rules of when and how long after the incident they want the issue to be reported for them to cover any damage and or losses.

Take A Bath

Now, this might seem weird but doing so is very important. You need to get yourself rid of any possible germs that you might have contracted from the accident’s site and bathing is the best option for that.

Try using hot water to get yourself thoroughly clean. If a bath is not practical at least wash your face, hands, arms, and feet to get rid of the dirt and debris that might have accumulated on your skin.

Make A Secure File

Sometimes, accidents that seem fairly minor can rear their head at a later stage. Hence, it is best to keep a file of all of the evidence that you collected from the accident site.

Keeping the evidence you have collected safe and secure in one place can help you when dealing with any investigation by the insurers or the police in due course.

Contact Your Lawyer

Seeking legal advice from a DC car accident lawyer after an accident can be important. You might have rights that you have no idea about but, if claimed, could be of benefit to you.

If you require assistance with a personal injury claim talk to your car accident injury lawyer Perth and ask them if there is anything that you are doing wrong or if there is something you need to be doing.

Your lawyer will be pleased to receive the evidence folder that you have prepared and will commence the process of gathering the rest of the evidence required to support your claim.

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