The open road stretches ahead. The driver’s focus is getting to the hotel safely for the big conference over the weekend. He normally doesn’t like weekends away from home for work purposes, but this one seems just fine.
Arriving at the conference early, the man decides to spend a little time researching the city of Memphis to fill the pockets of free time with fun activities. A vibrant city like Memphis has all sorts of historical context. It will be a great place to explore.
Everything is fine when the driver eagerly gets into the vehicle to drive to a local museum; the roads are what one would expect as traffic is minimal but present. He looks right, left, right again and goes. The vehicle doesn’t go very far, when boom, the car is hit from the rear! Accidents are never part of the plan, but one must be prepared just in case the unfortunate circumstance happens to them. Don’t think too strenuously at the first step after the accident.
A Little Information Never Hurt
Auto accidents happen. It’s a disappointing truth that seems to keep on giving. Auto manufacturers are teaming up with consumers to provide options when it comes to safety. Several driver-assist features are being offered in new vehicles around the world. Nothing is completely perfect on the roadways, unfortunately. The first step after an auto wreck should work itself out naturally.
Check to see if everyone involved in the car crash is alright physically before moving forward. It is an obligation to stop when involved in a wreck; this is true even if one isn’t at fault or injured as a result of the accident. There can be legal consequences of causing a wreck depending on the antecedent that led to the wreck. For instance, was the driver impaired because of drugs or alcohol, driving a suspended license without insurance or did they pull a hit-and-run. More on negligence later.
Beyond the legal obligation to check to stop when involved in an accident, it is important to adhere to health concerns. Never push someone for his or her auto insurance information when they require immediate medical attention. Health and safety are always first. Check to see if all parties are in good physical conditions before proceeding to the next step. Some car crashes result in people needing serious medical attention. Other situations will result in people walking away from the wreck without a scratch. This can depend on things like the driving speed at impact, the weight of the car and other safety features, such as a seatbelt. Humanity takes precedence before anything else when an accident happens. One can replace a vehicle, but health is invaluable.
Don’t Admit Responsibility
Having empathy by making sure everybody is safe after a car accident doesn’t mean that a driver must admit fault. Even if they may believe they caused the wreck, the situation behind a car crash isn’t always what it seems. Don’t assume liability on the crash site. Focus instead on the health conditions of those involved in the wreck. The words said in the immediate aftermath can be legally binding.
A person may talk to several different folks after an accident. These people may include law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, witnesses of the wreck, tow truck drivers and several others. It’s best to avoid talking about the cause of the wreck and only focus on how to proceed going forward. Automobile accidents are never fun, but the situation is exacerbated when a driver admits fault at the scene of the crash.
Stay Calm
Take a few deep breaths after an accident; a person may need them to stay calm. It’s important to try to stay calm after an accident. Several things are going on at once, and a person needs to be able to navigate them in the calmest way possible. After injury concerns are addressed–with medical attention sought for those who need it–those involved in an accident will want to move forward by calling the police. Those involved don’t always have to do this as onlookers will often call before anybody else has a chance to. It’s not a bad idea to get the police involved to make the accident official through a written accident report.
An accident report is a legal document. This can help to serve individuals in the court of law by supporting claims. Filing a police report is important, and it is strongly advised to file one when involved in even the smallest of accidents.
Collecting Facts Regarding the Crash
Gathering information is a delight to the journalist, but is collecting information something that is universally liked by all people? To some extent, yes, but not everybody is going to enjoy pressing the others involved in a crash for information. Information that is collected at the scene of a crash is meant to help in gathering the facts surrounding the debacle. Names, phone numbers, addresses are a good place to start when collecting information from everyone involved in the accident. Move on to gathering insurance information and the vehicle identification number. Many drivers will think that collecting a license plate number is enough, but insurance companies aren’t going to keep the license plate number on hand. It’s paramount that this information is obtained.
A person will want to talk to witnesses, if there are any, take photos of the aftermath of the crash and write down any other valuable information. Getting as much information as possible will help when filing an insurance claim and for any legal aftermath that may occur as a result of the accident.
Follow A Checklist
Stress is going to be involved in an accident. Therefore, a driver wants to prepare a checklist on what information and protocols to follow immediately after one arises. It can be interesting for a person trying to collect valuable information in a frenetic state of mind. A car accident form obtained from one’s local DMV or police station has all the steps to collect the right information after a car accident. Pick one up the next time tabs are being purchased or a driver’s license renewed.
One will start with collecting the name, address, phone number and any other important contact information. Then they move on to collecting basic auto insurance information found on the proof of insurance card. This information will include the driver’s insurance company and the policy number. It’s illegal to drive without auto insurance in most places, so it is important to be covered.
All this information that is collected from the other driver will assuredly want to take a backseat in the event of catastrophic injuries happening as a result of the crash. Next, a driver will want to collect information regarding the other driver’s vehicle description: make and model, license plate number and vehicle registration information. It’s vital to any legal action or claim to be able to accurately describe the accident with proper information.
Details of the Accident
Details that a person will want to have on hand are straightforward. Consider the date and time the accident happened. What direction each vehicle involved was driving towards, and the address or nearest road and cross street are also key bits of information to be collected. Again, a car accident form is going to be useful during the immediate events after an accident. Be patient about getting the right information. A person may even want to get the name and badge number of officers that assisted at the scene.
Contact Car Insurance Company
Stressing this piece can’t be addressed enough: It is not only important but a legal obligation to carry car insurance. One may go twenty years without ever having to file a claim before it all changes in an instant. Defective products may be the reason for a wreck, but they aren’t to blame for the negligence involved in not carrying auto insurance on the vehicle.
Uber and Lyft Accidents are just one worry of drivers on the road; distracted drivers, weather conditions and a sudden change in traffic are just a few reasons to carry insurance. Car accidents happen. One should immediately contact their auto insurance company if they have been involved in an accident.
Filing A Claim
A person will more than likely want to file an insurance claim in the aftermath of a wreck. How one does this differs by company, with several of them offering options for filing claims online. An insurance agent will be able to navigate you through this process. Auto insurance can help a person get back on the road sooner after an accident.
Lawyers Can Help A Matter Out Significantly
Lawyers are always an interesting topic to discuss. Much like other professionals, lawyers come in many different skill levels and years of experience. Many car accidents happen because people are negligent behind the wheel. Some drivers get distracted by a text message on their phone or some other item. If an accident happens as a result of a person being negligent behind the wheel, the guilty party is responsible for paying the medical bills of those they impacted by the crash. A car accident attorney with experience and sound professionalism can help victims if they are injured due to a car accident.
Experienced lawyers are going to get to the bottom of the situation, aiming to hold those guilty of negligence responsible for their actions. The legal process may be as confusing as organic chemistry to a victim of a wreck, but true professionals have extensive knowledge that continues to grow over time. Getting involved in an accident is an unfortunate reality on the roadways throughout the country.
A person may get lucky and never experience a wreck. Others will and may even get injured. Even if it is obvious that the other driver ran a red light or did something that caused the wreck, the process can still be long and difficult for the victim. An experienced lawyer will do what it takes to make a difficult situation come right. A person must find the right accident and injury law attorney if they are the victim in a crash. It can make all the difference in the world for a victim to hire right.
It’s About the Right Information
It’s a scary thing being involved in a wreck. Damage to the vehicle is one thing, a person having to worry about his or her health on top of this is a recipe for a stressful situation. Being able to gain the right information is the only goal when involved in a wreck. The crash scene isn’t a place to have a courtroom debate or plan to grab coffee the next day; one shouldn’t be pressured by another driver to admit fault or settle outside of the auto insurance company. Gather the facts and follow the appropriate steps. Being honest about what happened and all the events surrounding the crash will significantly help those involved going forward.
Don’t Leave Prematurely
Nobody wants to get into an accident. Most people want to get out of there as fast as possible and forget that it ever happened. The outcome of a crash doesn’t stop the moment the debris is cleaned off the road; there are lingering influences that a wreck can have days and even years after the crash. Time slows down at the site of an automobile accident. It may seem like forever, but those involved do not want to leave the scene until everything is taken care of.
Automobiles open up many opportunities for those that own them. The risk of a wreck is always there, and a person will want to stay calm despite the trying situation of being involved in a crash. Knowing what information is crucial, and what to do with this information is vital for those involved in a car accident. The situation turns even worse if a person is injured and left clueless on how to proceed. Never be caught off guard.
