Unfortunately, accidents are a part of life. If we’re lucky, we will go our whole lives without ourselves or a loved one being injured in an accident, but it’s always worth knowing what steps to take in the event that an accident does occur. The aftermath following an accident can be an extremely challenging time in so many ways. It can affect you emotionally, physically, and financially, but there are people out there who can help you and lead you through this difficult time.
Here are five steps you should follow if the worst should happen and you are involved in an accident.
Seek Medical Attention
Your health and the health of those around you should be your number one priority. When you’re involved in an accident, your body tends to produce more adrenalin which can serve to mask the pain of your injuries, so be sure to get yourself checked out.
Take a moment to get your breath back and ask yourself if you feel any pain. If the answer is yes, or even maybe, get yourself checked out, it’s better to be cautious.
Call the Police
If you’re in a healthy state to do so, you should call the police. You may not think it’s the biggest accident ever, but the police are there to protect everyone and make sure they are safe. They will also be able to create a police report which might be essential when you come to speak with your insurance company. Answer the police’s questions to the best of your abilities, and don’t panic if there are certain details you don’t know.
This is also a good time to take pictures of the incident.
Report the Accident to Your Insurance
You should make sure you get the pertinent details of other parties to the crash such as a name, contact number, license plate number, insurance details, and address. Then you need to report the accident to your insurance company. Most policies require immediate notification of any incidents. This is why you pay your insurance bill every month, so make sure you use your insurance company and allow them to work with you.
Call a Lawyer
The police might be there to protect everyone, but your lawyer is there to protect you and to defend your rights. Unfortunately, the world isn’t always fair, and you want a good lawyer on your side to make sure you’re protected.
As Emerson Law cites, the average inpatient bill from car accidents and similar incidents can range from $1,700 to $2,300 a day so you need someone on your side to make sure you’re not unfairly footing the bill. If nothing else, a good lawyer can give you the peace of mind that you’re following the right procedures and that someone has your back.
Put Your Mind at Ease
It can be a very worrying time after you’ve been in an accident, but if you follow the right procedures you can put your mind at ease slightly. Of course, we all hope we will never have to use this knowledge, but it’s better to have it if we do find ourselves in that situation.
