What to Do If You’re in a Car Crash That Wasn’t Your Fault
Car crashes happen unexpectedly all the time. About 10 million car accidents occur every year in the United States, and many of them lead to injuries and unnecessary deaths.
You can do everything you can to drive safely — checking your blind spots, observing the speed limit, and stopping for three seconds at each stop sign — but that doesn’t mean you’re safe from other drivers on the road.
All too often, great drivers are the victims of car accidents rather than the perpetrators. If this should happen to you, you have more rights than you might think for both covering your costs and supporting your altered lifestyle.
When you’re in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, here are some basic steps you should take.
Take Care of Injuries
First and foremost, make sure everyone in your car is okay. If anyone was hurt, call an ambulance and get proper medical attention for her or him. Tasks like exchanging insurance information and contacting an attorney can wait until everyone has been properly examined by health-care professionals.
It’s also wise to get yourself checked out even if you don’t feel out of sorts. “Symptoms of a serious injury are not immediately visible,” argues an article from DMV.org. “You put your health and well-being at higher risk the longer you go without receiving medical attention.”
The article also talks about the importance of getting injuries documented in case you might need the evidence in personal injury case. “The longer you wait after the car accident, the more difficult it will be to prove that any injuries you sustained were the result of the car crash,” it explains.
Call the Police
After you’ve been checked out, get the police on the scene. If the accident is serious, a witness will likely have called the police immediately.
If it’s a fender bender, some people don’t want to get the police involved because it means their insurance carrier will be notified and everyone’s premiums may go up. However, you should get a police report about your accident even if it was a small one.
“It isn’t against the law to just exchange insurance information and move on,” says Geoff Williams of U.S. News. “But if you call 911 or your local precinct and bring in a neutral third party to document the accident, you’ll be doing yourself a favor.”
The report offers protection in multiple ways. First, it will protect you if someone tries to come back later with a fraudulent personal injury case, and claim the incident was your fault and not theirs.
Second, any evidence the police collect and document can be used to support your personal injury suit if you file a claim.
Exchange Insurance Information
It’s the responsibility of the person at fault to contact his or her insurance company and make sure it will pay for the other driver’s medical bills and car repairs. There’s no guarantee the person will make the call, however, so you need to exchange information to make sure.
Get the name, address, and telephone number of the other driver as well as his or her insurance firm, policy number, and the company’s phone number. If the party at fault doesn’t report the accident to his or her carrier, you can take the matter into your own hands.
Contact an Attorney
When you’ve been injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you’re entitled to compensation beyond the basic compensation the insurance will pay out. You can also receive money for your altered way of life.
A personal injury case may protect you if the other person’s insurance refuses to pay, or the other driver did not report the accident to his or her insurance company. The firm can help you get the compensation you need for car repairs, medical bills, lost wages, and more.
Be wise about choosing the attorney to represent your case. “You want a skilled car accident attorney who will work hard to resolve a claim without a lawsuit, but who has the skills and commitment to pursue justice on your behalf in court if necessary,” advises the office of Herrman & Herrman in McAllen Texas.
“It is important to work with a car wreck lawyer who has successfully handled numerous accident cases similar to yours and has a proven track record. You want a lawyer who will deal with the paperwork and insurance companies so that you can focus on your recovery.”
Gather Evidence for Your Case
If possible, gather the contact information of any witnesses to the incident. If you didn’t get those at the accident scene, you might be able to collect them from the police report.
When things have calmed down, gather statements from the witnesses to use as evidence for your case. You may use details from the police report, the medical report, and other available information to make your case.
The more information you have to support your suit, the more likely you’ll win in court. The actions you take immediately after a car crash can make all the difference in your ability to recover and pay the costs for your accident.