Seven Steps to Take After Being Involved in a Car Crash
When you are involved in a car accident, even if it is a minor, knowing what to do can be nerve wracking. You may be upset at the person that hit you or scared that the person you hit is mad and you may also be concerned about the damage to the cars and how to take care of everything. It is important to stay level-headed and remember these seven steps from Progressive Insurance when you are involved in a car accident.
- Stay calm. Keeping calm can help you get through discussing with the other drivers and/or police officers about what happened and can help you remember everything that you need to do to care of your car and everyone involved.
- Make sure the passengers in your car are okay. If your passengers have been injured, tend to them as much as you can and get help immediately.
- If your passengers are okay, move your car as far off the road as possible. Do not leave the scene of the accident, but get out of the way of oncoming traffic and notify drivers that you are there with your hazard lights or flares.
- If your passengers are injured, call 911 before moving your car or doing anything else. Get help immediately for anyone that is hurt. If nobody is injured, move your car off the road before calling the police.
- Contact your insurance company and report the claim now that everything your car and passengers have been tended to. Your insurance company will need to resolve the claim and figure out how much and what they will pay, so the sooner they know about the claim, the sooner they can get to work on it.
- Do not admit fault. Keep the information about the car accident private. Discuss the details only with the police officer who came to the scene and your claims representative at your insurance company.
- Exchange vital information with the other driver(s) involved in the car accident before leaving the scene. Get information including: name, address, phone numbers, and license numbers, for other cars involved and any witnesses of the accident. Also get insurance information including insurance companies and policy numbers from other drivers involved.
If you are involved in a car accident, contact the Bettersworth Law Firm in New Braunfels, Tex., especially if you were injured in the accident. These accident attorneys can help you fight for repayment in court today.
