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May 2016 | Read this issue and more at www.healthandwellnessmagazine.net |
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10 Things You Should
Do If You Are Involved
In A Car Accident
By Kevin Renfro, Becker Law Office
Car accidents
are scary
experiences,
but knowing in
advance what to
do if you’re ever involved in one can
help you protect yourself and your
rights. Here are the top 10 things you
should do if you are involved in a car
accident:
1. Get to safety as soon as possible.
Put on your emergency flashers, place
orange safety cones or light flares to
alert other drivers of the accident,
check on the other driver(s),
passengers and any pedestrians
involved, and then if possible, move
to safety out of the flow of traffic.
Take pictures of the vehicles before
moving them if you can do so safely.
2. Never leave the scene of an
accident, even if it is a minor fender
bender. You could be charged
criminally for leaving the scene of an
accident.
3. Call 911 and request police,
even if it is a minor accident, and
definitely in the event of significant
property damage, injuries or death.
Ask for a written police report
to be completed of what happened,
where the vehicles were positioned,
and what was claimed at the time of
the accident, should a formal claim
need to be filed. Ask for the name,
badge number, and phone number
of the police officers responding to
the accident scene. You should
also request the number of the police
report so you can obtain a copy for
your records.
4. Be polite at the accident scene.
It’s easy to be upset after a car
accident, but do not accuse another
driver of fault, and never admit fault,
even if you believe you caused the
accident. You may be admitting
legal liability and there may be other
circumstances about which you are
unaware that caused or contributed to
the accident that are not your fault.
Do not give your social security
number to anyone, even the police
officers. It is not necessary for you to
provide your social security number
to anyone at the accident scene, nor
is it necessary to have a police report
completed or an insurance claim
filed on your behalf.
5. Exchange information with
the other drivers. Record the name,
address, phone number, date of birth
and email address of all drivers, as
well as their automobile insurance
information including the name of
the insurance company, the insurance
company phone number, policy
number and the named insured.
It is also a good idea to get the
automobile registration information
of the vehicles involved in the event
a vehicle is registered to someone
other than the driver. Also note the
make, model and color of any vehicles
involved in the accident including
their license plate state and number.
6. Record the contact information
of all passengers and any witnesses
including their name, address, phone
number and email address, and write
down what they believe happened,
where they were at the time of the
accident, and what they saw.
7. Record your account of the
accident including taking pictures and
videos. Most of us carry some kind
of smart phone so use the camera
to take pictures and videos of the
location, the accident scene, and any
traffic signals or signs. Record the
time of day, traffic conditions at the
time of the accident, weather, and
road conditions (i.e. wet from rain;
construction zone, etc.), and anything
else you can remember about what
happened before the accident
occurred. Were other drivers driving
aggressively or driving distracted?
Were you driving in rush-hour traffic,
or stop and go traffic? Do not wait to
record your account of the accident
because it is easy to forget important
details if not recorded as soon after
the accident as possible.
8. Seek medical attention right
away, even if you have minor injuries
or when you do not believe you are
hurt. Some injuries do not appear
until a day or two after an accident,
and it is important to have an
immediate record of seeking medical
attention after an accident.
9. Notify your insurance company
immediately after the accident. Most
insurance companies have 24/7
claim centers so you should call as
soon after the accident as you can. Be
honest about what happened because
insurance coverage may be denied if
your insurance company learns you
were not truthful about the accident,
or if you are uncooperative during its
investigation. Provide your insurance
carrier with all the information
you gathered at the scene. You
have a duty to cooperate with your
insurance company, and they have a
duty to provide benefits under your
insurance policy.
10. Keep detailed records of all
emergency room visits, doctors’
appointments, physical therapy,
chiropractic care, prescriptions, and
any other treatment, medicines, or
devices, related to the treatment from
your car accident. Keep the police
report and any other paperwork
concerning your car accident together
in one place for easier reference in
case you need to make a formal claim.
If you are injured, consider speaking
with an attorney experienced in
handling car accident injury claims
to find out your rights and to ensure
your damages are compensated.
About the Author
Kevin Renfro, attorney and managing
partner of the Becker Law Office has
over 23 years of experience. He works
diligently to get fair settlements for
clients as quickly as possible. Cases
range from automobile collision and
premises liability to products liability
and nursing home abuse. For Kevin,
the work is about leveling the playing
field for regular people against large
corporations.
He holds an AV rating fro