You must contact your insurance company if you get involved in a car accident. When filing an insurance claim or initiating a lawsuit, you will require sufficient information to determine the deductibles and calculate percentages. Therefore, ensure you take the following steps to prepare for a legal process after a car accident.
1. Gather Evidence
The outcome of a car accident can be confusing. Your priority should be to seek immediate medical attention. If you are out of danger, document the moments before leading to the accident and the accident scene. Gathering credible evidence is essential to winning a claim.
Talk to people who witnessed the accident and obtain their names and contact information. Ask them if they can write a statement with the police or talk to an investigator.
Call the police as a police report is weighty with attorneys and insurance adjusters. Although the person at fault may not want to involve the police, call them anyway. If your car is damaged or you are injured, call the police. A police report includes information about damages, liability, and accident scene. Under no circumstances should you bypass this step.
Use your phone or a camera to take pictures of your injuries and all vehicles involved. Capture everything, mainly what could have contributed to the crash, such as a poorly designed or maintained road or a traffic sign ignored by the other driver. Ensure that the pictures are dated for evidence in court if required. If your camera or phone is damaged, ask a witness to help you take pictures.
2. Get the Other Driver’s Information
Remember not to promise to pay or pay for any damages resulting from the crash. Do not discuss a settlement, accept money, or agree to forget the crash. Obtain the following information:
• License plate numbers
• Insurance policy numbers
• Name of the insurance company
• Drivers contact information and name
• Driver’s license number
If the other driver withholds their name or contact information, obtain what you can, such as the license plate number through pictures.
3. Seek Medical Attention
It is essential to obtain immediate medical attention as the doctor’s notes, bills, and medical records are evidence of your expenses and injuries. Whether dealing with the other driver’s insurer or yours, a substantive medical record provides irrefutable evidence to support your claim and your physical condition.
Follow your doctor’s instructions, as you can blow your settlement by going against the doctor’s advice. When dealing with insurance claims, an adjuster who thinks you are exaggerating or faking your injuries can deny your claim.
4. Contact a Car Accident Lawyer
Sometimes your professionalism or persistence may fail to yield a desirable outcome. If the adjuster is denying liability or ignoring you, hire a lawyer. Learn more here about attorney involvement in settling a car accident claim. The presence of a lawyer can make adjusters settle a claim expeditiously. A lawyer will help you obtain a reasonable settlement.
