Accidents can happen at any time. It does not come with any warning signs and you need to stay aware of keeping yourself safe every time, especially when you are driving.
The increasing number of vehicles on the road and the amount of traffic are what has also increased the chances of an accident to happen. We’ve often recorded accidents during the rush hour traffic and in the bustling freeways, and when changing lanes. However, if things go wrong, your life can be jeopardized any moment and if you are not prepared to deal with such situations, you need to start taking actions and learning the basics of what needs to be done to protect yourself.
Here are 10 ways to protect yourself after an accident.
1. Check yourself
The first thing to do after you get in an accident is to check yourself. You need to make sure everything is alright. Yes, you might lose your common sense for a while, but take a deep breath, focus on things around you and see if you and your car is okay. Always pay special attention when you are on a busy roadway to make sure that you don’t get hit again.
2. Call the police
Once you assess the situation you are in, call the police immediately. No matter the size of the accident, you need to call the police to perform the inspection and prepare a report. Also, if you or anyone is hurt and has sustained an injury, you need to call the ambulance right away.
3. Offer assistance
As you slowly step out of the vehicle, assess the details involved in the accident. If you find anyone injured, help them immediately. You don’t need to wait for the ambulance or the police to arrive to help someone who is in danger. Also, make sure that you don’t blame anyone for the accident and make a scene for yourself.
4. Gather details
Once you find yourself in a safe position, it’s time to look for details associated with the accident. If you’ve been hit by another vehicle, get the name, address, phone number and details of the driver. Also, check the policy number, model, and license plate number of the other vehicle right away.
5. Take photos
It’s always useful to take photos after you get involved in an accident. Though there are police who do all those things related to the law, you can do too so that you can access that information anytime you require without needing to call the police. See if your camera or smartphone is working and document the complete location of the accident and those who are involved.
6. Consult a doctor
If you sustain an injury, no matter how small it may be, always consult a doctor. You always need to stay aware about your health and even if you don’t see any scratch in your body, you need to seek for a medical care. Doctors perform a full extent analysis of your body to check if you’ve been injured. If any legal actions need to be taken, a thorough analysis should be done as well.
7. Seek legal advice
What I’ve seen with most people involved in an accident is that they get paid much lesser from the insurance companies than what they actually deserved. This is why you need to seek legal advice to assess details regarding the accident and the insurance costs associated with it.
According to Just Great Lawyers, “An experienced car accident lawyer can carefully review the facts and evidence of the case to determine which drivers (and/or other parties) are liable, helping victims maximize their recoveries.”
Never try to settle the case on your own as a prompt payment from insurance companies might tempt you to do so. This will jeopardize the chances of making future claims if you settle immediately.
8. Keep a note
You might not be able to remember all the details regarding the accident in the future when you need to. This is where a note can help you with. Write down everything about the entire process during the accident, detail about any conversations you made, include details about visits to the doctor and injuries sustained from the collision. You can keep yourself organized this way and help you when you need to take any legal actions.