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What To Do in an Accident

Getting into an auto accident is a scary experience. Drivers may think they know what to do when an accident happens, but they often don't know what steps to take. Were you just in an accident?

Here is some guidance to ensure everyone's safety and how to follow the laws and the correct car insurance process.

Ensuring Everyone's Safety

The most important part of any auto accident is that everyone involved is safe and gets the health treatments necessary. To start, check yourself over. If it isn’t essential, do not move while checking for injuries. Some questions to ask include:

Pay special attention to your neck and any broken bones. The worst thing you can do is aggravate an injury and make it worse. If you are hurt and need medical attention, stay where you are and try to call for help. Waiting until professional help comes ensures you do not make the injury worse.

If you are not hurt, then you can move and check on your passengers. Make sure to ask questions and to check for issues like consciousness and shock. Ask your passengers the same questions you asked yourself. If someone is injured, call for help while keeping your passenger still and calm.

Finally, check on the passengers of the other vehicle. Ask if they are okay and go through a similar check to be sure they get any medical attention needed. If no one has called 911 already, do it yourself. The operators are trained to help callers through any first aid required while waiting for emergency response teams to arrive.

The most important part of any auto accident is that everyone involved is safe and gets the health treatments necessary. To start, check yourself over. If it isn’t essential, do not move while checking for injuries. Some questions to ask include:

Pay special attention to your neck and any broken bones. The worst thing you can do is aggravate an injury and make it worse. If you are hurt and need medical attention, stay where you are and try to call for help. Waiting until professional help comes ensures you do not make the injury worse.

If you are not hurt, then you can move and check on your passengers. Make sure to ask questions and to check for issues like consciousness and shock. Ask your passengers the same questions you asked yourself. If someone is injured, call for help while keeping your passenger still and calm.

Finally, check on the passengers of the other vehicle. Ask if they are okay and go through a similar check to be sure they get any medical attention needed. If no one has called 911 already, do it yourself. The operators are trained to help callers through any first aid required while waiting for emergency response teams to arrive.

The most important part of any auto accident is that everyone involved is safe and gets the health treatments necessary. To start, check yourself over. If it isn’t essential, do not move while checking for injuries. Some questions to ask include:

Pay special attention to your neck and any broken bones. The worst thing you can do is aggravate an injury and make it worse. If you are hurt and need medical attention, stay where you are and try to call for help. Waiting until professional help comes ensures you do not make the injury worse.

If you are not hurt, then you can move and check on your passengers. Make sure to ask questions and to check for issues like consciousness and shock. Ask your passengers the same questions you asked yourself. If someone is injured, call for help while keeping your passenger still and calm.

Finally, check on the passengers of the other vehicle. Ask if they are okay and go through a similar check to be sure they get any medical attention needed. If no one has called 911 already, do it yourself. The operators are trained to help callers through any first aid required while waiting for emergency response teams to arrive.

Pay special attention to your neck and any broken bones. The worst thing you can do is aggravate an injury and make it worse. If you are hurt and need medical attention, stay where you are and try to call for help. Waiting until professional help comes ensures you do not make the injury worse.

If you are not hurt, then you can move and check on your passengers. Make sure to ask questions and to check for issues like consciousness and shock. Ask your passengers the same questions you asked yourself. If someone is injured, call for help while keeping your passenger still and calm.

Finally, check on the passengers of the other vehicle. Ask if they are okay and go through a similar check to be sure they get any medical attention needed. If no one has called 911 already, do it yourself. The operators are trained to help callers through any first aid required while waiting for emergency response teams to arrive.

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Follow the Laws

Pay special attention to your neck and any broken bones. The worst thing you can do is aggravate an injury and make it worse. If you are hurt and need medical attention, stay where you are and try to call for help. Waiting until professional help comes ensures you do not make the injury worse.

If you are not hurt, then you can move and check on your passengers. Make sure to ask questions and to check for issues like consciousness and shock. Ask your passengers the same questions you asked yourself. If someone is injured, call for help while keeping your passenger still and calm.

Finally, check on the passengers of the other vehicle. Ask if they are okay and go through a similar check to be sure they get any medical attention needed. If no one has called 911 already, do it yourself. The operators are trained to help callers through any first aid required while waiting for emergency response teams to arrive.

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The Car Insurance Process

The car insurance company will want all of the same information as the police officer. Some basic things you can do to help the car insurance company include:

While you may feel like obtaining this information is not needed, doing so will protect you. Do not rely on the other party or the police officers to collect all the necessary information or take enough pictures. When a car accident is investigated or disputed, it is better to have too much information than not enough. As the insurance agents are not present at the accident scene, they will rely on you and the documentation you and the police collect to tell them everything.

Call your insurance company as quickly as possible to inform them of your car accident. They should provide you with specific instructions on what to do or who to call. Your insurance company will open a file, and you can make a claim. 

A claims adjuster is then notified, and someone will get in touch with you about the accident. The claims adjuster will ask you the basics of what happened for their initial report. Depending on your policy, they may provide some assistance with medical costs or a rental car.

Insurance companies will also enact an investigation. Police officers do not always assign fault at the scene or in their report. To decide who is going to pay for damages and accident-related medical bills, each driver’s insurance company will determine the payout required by each party.

Please do not give the insurance company permission to record your conversation, as they may use it against you when assigning fault in the accident. Let the evidence and official report speak for itself to show who is at fault.

While you may feel like obtaining this information is not needed, doing so will protect you. Do not rely on the other party or the police officers to collect all the necessary information or take enough pictures. When a car accident is investigated or disputed, it is better to have too much information than not enough. As the insurance agents are not present at the accident scene, they will rely on you and the documentation you and the police collect to tell them everything.

Call your insurance company as quickly as possible to inform them of your car accident. They should provide you with specific instructions on what to do or who to call. Your insurance company will open a file, and you can make a claim. 

A claims adjuster is then notified, and someone will get in touch with you about the accident. The claims adjuster will ask you the basics of what happened for their initial report. Depending on your policy, they may provide some assistance with medical costs or a rental car.

Insurance companies will also enact an investigation. Police officers do not always assign fault at the scene or in their report. To decide who is going to pay for damages and accident-related medical bills, each driver’s insurance company will determine the payout required by each party.

Please do not give the insurance company permission to record your conversation, as they may use it against you when assigning fault in the accident. Let the evidence and official report speak for itself to show who is at fault.

Important Claims Information

Auto insurance, like other insurances, has deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses. Verify that information as you make your car accident claim to know what you are responsible for covering. At-fault drivers who file a claim will most likely receive an increased monthly premium.

Most insurance companies have a required time window to submit a claim. There can be differences in the timeline for types of claims filed, like vehicle damage versus personal injuries. Be sure to address these requirements with your insurance agent, as what can be claimed may differ between insurance companies and states

Types of Car Insurance Coverage

There are many different types of car insurance options that drivers can have. The policy will determine what and how much is covered by an accident. While many states have minimum requirements for insurance coverage to drive, there are still options for every budget.

  • Liability Coverage

    This type of insurance is common in the United States and is required for drivers in all states. This is intended to cover damage to property and injuries when the driver is determined to be legally responsible for an accident.

  • Collision Insurance

    The purpose of collision insurance is just like it sounds — it covers damage to your vehicle after a collision. The policy may help repair or replace a vehicle after an accident with this type of insurance.

  • Comprehensive Insurance

    For an extra level of protection, comprehensive insurance helps cover any damage done to your vehicle aside from collisions, like vandalism, animal damage, and weather events.

  • Uninsured Motorist Insurance

    This type of insurance will help protect a vehicle and any injury to persons during a hit-and-run accident.

  • Underinsured Motorist Insurance

    Insurance companies typically recommend carrying this underinsured motorist insurance. Sometimes drivers choose to carry the minimum required liability coverage to save money each month. These policies may not cover the costs of all damages in an accident. This kind of policy will help cover all the other expenses.

Gap coverage, towing, classic car, and rental reimbursement insurance are available add-on options. Insurance companies also range in size. Drivers may find smaller insurance companies more affordable, but they will not provide the same level of coverage as larger insurance companies. 

There are many options for every budget, but not every policy will be sufficient for every type of vehicle accident. Going with a less expensive policy and limited add-ons will save money each month for the policy owner, but the policy might not be sufficient when it is time to use it. 

If you hold the wrong insurance policy or crash into someone without enough coverage, you may end up with the bill from the accident. Always review exactly what coverage you have for your vehicle and increase when necessary to protect yourself from out-of-pocket costs.

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Unexpected Expenses

Getting in an auto accident is more than inconvenient — it is expensive. There are many costs involved, such as:

These costs can add up quickly, and not everyone has insurance coverage to pay all these expenses. Working with the wrong company and having insufficient coverage for a particular accident can mean you are left without any help to cover all of the costs.

Missing time from work applies to the day of the accident, but it also applies to recovery time and subsequent doctor appointments. Even seemingly simple injuries, like whiplash, can result in multiple days off work for treatments.

No insurance company wants to pay out because it decreases their profits. Instead, they will try to get the other driver’s insurance to cover the costs. If the other driver doesn’t have insurance or they want to argue about paying the costs too, the process can prolong getting reimbursed.

If the police do not assign fault, the process is even more tricky. The insurance investigators will look through reports, evidence and talk to everyone involved to help make their conclusions. Both companies may not come to the same decision on who is at fault, which will cause more problems and increase the timeline for resolution.

These costs can add up quickly, and not everyone has insurance coverage to pay all these expenses. Working with the wrong company and having insufficient coverage for a particular accident can mean you are left without any help to cover all of the costs.

Missing time from work applies to the day of the accident, but it also applies to recovery time and subsequent doctor appointments. Even seemingly simple injuries, like whiplash, can result in multiple days off work for treatments.

No insurance company wants to pay out because it decreases their profits. Instead, they will try to get the other driver’s insurance to cover the costs. If the other driver doesn’t have insurance or they want to argue about paying the costs too, the process can prolong getting reimbursed.

If the police do not assign fault, the process is even more tricky. The insurance investigators will look through reports, evidence and talk to everyone involved to help make their conclusions. Both companies may not come to the same decision on who is at fault, which will cause more problems and increase the timeline for resolution.

Should I Get a Lawyer?

Most insurance companies will have an agent assigned to your claim who can walk you through the process. However, it can still be very confusing and hard to know if they have your best interest in mind. Hiring a lawyer has several benefits. They will help guide you through the intimidating processes of filing claims and accepting payments for expenses. Hiring a lawyer will have your best interest in mind, fight for your rights, and ensure you are taken care of.

Hiring a personal injury lawyer will help you navigate the protocols and procedures after an accident. People generally do not get into frequent auto accidents, making the process unfamiliar and emotionally exhausting.

Personal injury lawyers are very experienced in this process. They will ensure you meet every deadline, file all the correct paperwork, and get through every hoop. Hiring a lawyer specializing in these types of accidents can guide you through the insurance process and get what you deserve.

You need to get the proper compensation to heal and cover all your expected and unexpected expenses. The right lawyer can help you receive more money so that your bills will be adequately covered. Whether it is your insurance company or the other driver’s policy, you deserve to be covered for all expenses. Getting a lawyer involved will protect your interests and help you get insurance companies to pay what is owed to you.

Working with a car accident lawyer also means you will have someone available to answer questions. Some auto accidents may create issues with old wounds, and others may cause injuries that develop over time, such as whiplash, damaged nerves, or unending headaches. There will be all types of situations, concerns, and questions that come up after being involved in an accident. Having an expert to call for impartial information is important to understand your rights.

The right car accident lawyer will handle everything for you. Rather than you making phone calls, sending emails, and following up, your lawyer can take these steps instead. People have busy lives and may not have enough time to figure out how to get around without their car and ensure they receive deserved compensation. Let a lawyer do all the work instead.

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Choosing the Right Lawyer

If you decide to hire a personal injury lawyer, how do you know they are qualified or experienced to help you. Most lawyers will offer a free consultation to go over your case. Take advantage of that offer and meet with the lawyers. Ask a lot of questions and consider reviewing things like:

Also, ask about fees and how they are billed. Personal injury attorneys typically only charge you if they win the case, and then they charge a percentage of the amount awarded in the settlement. Ask the accident lawyers about what happens if you do not win; will you be responsible for any case-related costs?

Speak to other office staff while you are meeting with your prospective lawyer. Knowing that the paralegals, secretaries, and any other office personnel are competent helps ensure you are hiring the right attorney. An attorney’s support staff will do a lot of work on your case, such as answering your questions and calls and even doing some outreach for the attorney. Be sure you feel confident that they can do the job.

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