Getting into a car accident is not even a surprise anymore. Before, people used to stop and see how bad the car crash is just for the sake of seeing it. Then, they would tell everyone they meet for the next few days about how bad it was and people would be interested in hearing about it.
But now, it’s like what else is new?
Unfortunately, just because car accidents are so common it doesn’t mean that they get any easier to deal with if you get in one yourself. The first and most important thing you can do is stop and not move after a car accident. Then, check out the following things you should do if you get into an auto accident.
Assess Everyone Involved
The first thing you should do is check yourself for injuries. Don’t expect that you will have any pain right away. There will be plenty of adrenaline running through your body. If you do have injuries, you might not experience pain until your body and mind calm down, which could take a while.
Then, you should check everyone else in your vehicle and other vehicles involved. Even if the other vehicle hit yours, you should still check the people inside of it.
If you or anyone else is hurt, then you need to seek medical attention immediately and try to avoid moving because that can make things worse.
Call First Responders
If someone did get injured, you can call an ambulance or the fire department. Fire stations also have ambulances with trained professionals.
If you have a personal injury lawyer, you can call them and ask what you should do if you’re injured.
Other than that, you should call the police and tell them about the accident. If you don’t know the number for ambulances or the fire department, then the police can contact them for you as well.
If the accident isn’t serious and no one needs any medical attention, the police might not come. In that case, you need to exchange information with the other parties involved in the accident.
If the police and other first responders do come, then they will write reports to detail the accident and injuries as well as get everyone’s information.
Gather Information
If the first responders aren’t coming, you need to collect evidence and get the other parties’ information. For this, you need to get the full name, address, and phone number. Do this for the drivers, passengers, and witnesses to the accident.
Then you can record a video and take pictures of the scene, both the cars, injuries, and everything else that matters.
If the first responders came, then you will need to get a copy of the report from everyone once they are done. But, you should still take pictures of everything and get the information of any witnesses to the accident.
Call a Lawyer
From dealing with the first responders to collecting evidence and negotiating with insurance companies, the events after a car accident can be quite complicated.
Since you’re in a state of shock at the scene, your mind might be a little fuzzy too.
That’s why you should call an auto accident attorney either after the accident or when you’re done getting medical attention. They can help you recover the damages if you were not responsible for the accident.