Accidents can happen to anyone at any time, and while everyone hopes they won’t get into one, it’s good to be prepared if you do. If you are a business owner it is still recommended that you have an insurance policy from a trusted commercial auto insurance services like the Academy West auto insurance services to ensure any damages and medical bills resulting from the accident don’t become your responsibility.
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Read on to see some car safety tips to use if you get into a car accident and you will be in a much better place if you do get involved in one.
Check For Injuries
The very first thing you need to do after getting into an accident is to check if you or any passengers in your car are injured. If you’ve been seriously injured, don’t try to move but ask anyone around you who can move to call for help. If you can move, check if there’s anyone who needs care, and then call for help or ask bystanders to call for help. Proceed to move out of the road and go to the sidewalk or the side of the road. If the car can move and it’s posing a hazard where it currently is, move it to the side of the road, otherwise, leave it there for purposes of better documentation.
Call 911
The second step you should take is to call 911 and seek emergency help, whether it’s a major or minor accident. It’s important to do this because, in some states, it’s actually a legal requirement. When the officers arrive, they will document the scene and fill out an accident report. This report may be required by your insurance provider if you file for claims and so it’s important to have it. If the police cannot come to the scene, you need to look for the nearest police station and go fill the report out yourself.
Exchange Information
Once everyone is okay, you need to exchange information with the other driver or drivers with whom you were involved in an accident. In a state like California, you get two years to file your case for personal injury before the statute of limitations comes to an end. Make sure to do this in good time so you don’t run the risk of not getting the compensation that was due to you for injuries and other expenses. If you have questions you may consult a car accident attorney for assistance. An experienced car accident injury attorney can help defend your rights.
Document the Accident
Another important step to take is to document the accident for purposes of insurance claims. With more than 70,000 licensed attorneys in Texas at the moment, you won’t have a shortage of professional car accident attorney services to represent you if it gets to this point. To make sure that any proceedings go smoothly, you will do well to document the accident and have solid evidence of the exact situation. If there are any bystanders who may have witnessed the accident, approach them and ask if they’re willing to write a statement stating what happened as this will keep things clear.
Have Your Car Fixed by a Professional
Finally, when all is said and done, you need to take your car to a qualified mechanic and have them fix it. Get it in the best shape if it’s possible to do so, or if it’s a write-off, accept the compensation and replace it. Keep it well-maintained because this can bring down the costs for maintenance by up to 30%. It can also decrease breakdowns by over 70% and cut downtime by a whopping 45% as stated by the Department of Energy. When you keep your car well serviced, you will also be reducing your chances of getting into another accident in the future.
Prevention is always best, so make sure to follow the rules of the road and use your judgment to avoid getting into an accident in the first place. If you do get involved in one, the steps outlined above can make it easier for you to start working on recovery and improvement.
