Knowing what to do and who to call after a car crash accident, that’s not your fault, it can save you from lots of things. For example, you’ll avoid various legal issues and keep your budget from expensive compensations.
We know dealing with insurance companies can be stressful. You’re probably already confused when you talk with your insurer, and now you need to deal with contacting the at-fault driver’s insurance company, but you don’t know where to start.
You must understand your next steps after getting involved in a car accident. If you don’t learn what to do, you might be unable to protect your interests. Even though that sounds a bit selfish, you could get into unpleasant situations if an at-fault driver decides to make a false statement or not report the accident.
This post will provide guidelines on what to do if you get in a car accident that was not your fault.
Make sure no one’s injured
Before you immediately call the best Waukegan car accident attorneys, ensure no one around you is injured. You must check the state of your passengers and even the at-fault driver’s vehicle and ask if someone needs immediate medical help.
Stay calm, and don’t move anyone if you see they’re unconscious. If someone is badly injured, call an emergency medical center right away. Move your vehicle off the road if you can, and ensure everyone is safe from further danger.
Staying on the road after an accident is dangerous since you can cause other car crashes and block the traffic.
Collect the info
If you’re entirely sure that the accident isn’t your fault, don’t worry. The other driver’s responsibility is to report the problem, but don’t be sure everyone will be acting responsibly. There’s a high chance you’ll only be able to prove the car accident happened if you have enough evidence.
Especially if no one is injured and your car didn’t suffer much visible damage. Try to collect as much information as possible to help you prove you’re not guilty. Here is some information you should have in case you need to prove your innocence.
- The number of the at-fault driver’s license, address, and full name;
- The insurance company’s name and the policy number of the at-fault driver;
- Phone numbers, names, addresses, and statements of the witnesses to the accident;
- If possible, pictures of the incident scene.
Document the scene
Remember to collect enough information about the incident while you’re still at the scene. Especially if you don’t believe another driver will be honest and take responsibility for their actions. You can use your smartphone to take pictures of all pieces of damaged property at the accident scene.
Please take a photo of your car’s interior and separate photos of the damaged personal property inside it. Then move on to the exterior and photograph the cracks on your vehicle. Having pictures of the incident can help your insurance company to determine the expenses of the compensation.
Pictures can also serve as evidence in court, in case you must defend yourself.
Call 911
If you can’t agree with the other driver who caused the accident, or it’s just unclear what happened at the scene of the accident, it’s best to leave it to the experts. Yes, you can always gather physical evidence and photograph the scene of an accident, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will help you negotiate with another driver to cover the expenses.
Police can make a full report of what happened on the street and help you get some leverage on the court if needed. It can also help you reach a settlement with another driver and avoid arguing and annoying procedures.
Inform your car insurance company
We recommend you call your insurance company immediately after recovering from the instant shock. Most incidents happen in seconds, and you might get confused about what happened and forget some crucial details.
You may be partially at fault for the accident, and you must take responsibility for your actions and inform the auto insurance company immediately. It can also happen that the other driver’s insurance company denies the driver’s fault.
In that case, you need to inform your insurer immediately and let them contest the property damage and treatment expenses with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.
Seek medical help even if you’re not injured
Even if you’re feeling well after the accident, seek medical help. You might not feel something is wrong before you recover from the shock. Some severe injuries don’t appear immediately, and you might not feel anything for hours, days, or even weeks after the incident.
You may have some broken bones or dislocated joints, and you can also experience headaches, loss of physical function, numbness, or even post-traumatic stress much later after the accident. Even if you feel minor neck pain after the accident, fix an appointment with your doctor.
Visiting a doctor can also help you collect the evidence for the court in case the at-fault attorneys start claiming your injuries are not serious.
Conclusion
If you are innocent and an accident victim, you won’t have to worry about paying for or answering for the damage caused. However, you should stay responsible and do whatever is in your power to help the injured parties and collect the proper information for your attorney and insurer.
