My Love Of The Law

Steps To Take After A Car Accident

by Alan Medina

In order to avoid getting into a car accident, you must be watching the road at all times without distraction. Sometimes an auto accident can occur because of another driver's fault. If you happen to get into an automobile accident that you feel was not an error by yourself, you will need to follow necessary steps to get your medical or automotive bills paid. Here are some guidelines to use after getting into an automobile accident.

Getting Help

If you get into an accident, call 911 to alert them about the location so that police can come to help direct traffic. They will come and take a report of the incident. Make sure you have a copy of the information so you will be able to give it to a car accident lawyer should you decide to press charges against the other driver. 

If you are injured in any way, alert 911 that you need an ambulance. If you deny being checked at this time, you might not be able to get reimbursed for injuries at a later date because you would have left the scene. It is best to have a medical professional check you thoroughly to make sure there are no injuries caused from the accident.

Call a towing company to help you with the removal of your vehicle from the roadway. You can bring it to an auto body repair shop if it seems to be minor repair work. If your vehicle suffered extensive damage, have the towing company bring it to your home to await word from insurance companies and court proceedings before deciding what action to take.

Dealing With Insurance

Make sure to swap insurance information with the other driver that was involved in the accident. There will most likely need to be an investigation done if the other party involved is not in agreement about who was to blame. Your insurance will need to be notified about the accident, and they will send an insurance adjuster to your home to look at your vehicle to determine the amount of damage that was caused.

If your vehicle is totaled, they will give you an estimate as to the value the vehicle was worth before the accident had occurred. The insurance will most likely wait until there is a definite answer as to who is to blame for the accident.

Going To Court

If you decide to take the other party to court to pay for your suffering and damage, you will need a car accident lawyer to help you plead your case. Make sure you have taken photographs of the spot where the incident had taken place, from all angles, including the view that you would have had from within your vehicle.

Take photos of the views the other vehicles would have had, as well. This can help prove your case in court. Keep copies of all hospital records, and if you know there were people who witnessed the accident, try to get them to give the court their summary of what they had seen.

If the court favors the other party or parties involved, your insurance will need to make a payment to them to cover the accident. Your insurance would then go up in price. If the court deems you as being correct, you will be able to collect the amount you spent on hospital bills and vehicle repairs from the other driver's insurance. Talk to experts like Master Weinstein Shatz Moyer, P.C., for more information.

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