If you get into a car accident, there are some basic procedures you should follow to make sure that everyone is safe. First, make sure that no one is injured and call emergency assistance if necessary. Remember not to discuss the accident with the other driver. Right after the incident, you’ll likely be searching around to try to remember what happened. If the other driver is clever and not terribly honorable, they may get you to admit fault even though you had nothing to do with causing the accident. It’s best to stick to dealing with the situation and not to talk too much.
If the police have to be called, dealing with them will obviously be the first order of business. They’ll need to know what happened. In most cases, they’ll interview you and the other driver separately to get as accurate a story as possible. After you’ve spoken with them, you may want to call a car accident personal injury attorney. They’re equipped to help you in these situations and some of them will work at no charge unless they manage to win your case.
After you’ve been in a car wreck, you may be injured without feeling the effects of those injuries immediately. Make sure that you don’t strain yourself or overdo it. If you suspect that you may have sustained an injury—whiplash injuries are very common in car wrecks—go visit your doctor. Your car wreck attorney may want the records of this visit to help build up your case. There is one very important piece of advice that has to do with your insurance company: don’t talk to them before you talk to your lawyer.
Your vehicle accident lawyer knows how to handle insurance companies. While you may pay them a monthly premium for coverage, insurance companies are notorious for trying very hard to avoid paying on claims. Make sure that you don’t talk to your company before getting advice from your lawyer. Your lawyer will be able to tell you what to say and, just as importantly, what not to say, based on your accident. There are cases where you may end up not getting paid by your insurance company if you say the wrong thing, so listening to and following your attorney’s advice in this matter is very important if you choose to seek compensation through the courts.
