Everything You Need To Know To Start The Process Safely
Out on the open road, things can sometimes get a little hairy – and if you’ve been fortunate enough to have never gotten into a car accident, then consider yourself one of the lucky ones. The fact of the matter is that according to the CDC, approximately 3 million Americans are injured in a car accident each and every year. And yet, far too few of us actually know exactly what to do after we’ve been involved in an accident – especially one with an injury. In this brief article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to start the process safely.
#1 Check For Injuries
First and foremost, after you’ve experienced an accident of any severity, you absolutely need to check yourself for injuries. If you’ve been injured, be sure to call 911 immediately, or if you can, ask someone else to do so for you. If you believe that you’ve been seriously injured, then you should stay as still as possible and wait for medical personnel to arrive on the scene, in which case, you can skip ahead to step #4.
#2 Call 911
Regardless if you’ve been involved in a minor fender-bender or if you’ve been involved in a major traffic accident, you need to report it to the police – especially if you need to file an insurance claim. Call 911 as soon as you’ve been able to get to a safe area. From there, you can remain in your vehicle or outside of it until police arrive on scene. Don’t forget to have all of your important documents, like your ID, your registration, and your insurance card in your hands.
#3 Call Your Auto Insurance Provider
Your auto insurance provider will want to know that you’ve been in an accident as soon as possible, so it’s always a good idea to ask for information from any and all parties involved in the accident. You’ll want to have their full name and contact information, the name of their insurance provider, along with their policy number, license plate, and the make and model of their vehicle. All of this critical information will help you file your claim as soon as you finish talking with all medical and emergency personnel. On a side note, it is also important to think about if you have enough auto insurance to begin with. Regardless of if an accident is your fault or not, your loved ones will thank you.
#4 Contact A Personal Injury Lawyer
No matter how minor or severe your injury might be, calling a personal injury lawyer is absolutely imperative. Whenever you’ve been injured in an accident, you could be entitled to financial compensation, and it’s always critically important to ensure that you have access to the various legal options that might come along with your accident. If you’re located in South Dakota and you’ve been injured in an auto accident, contact Alvine Weidenaar LLP today, your dedicated personal injury lawyers.
References:
https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/didyouknow/topic/vehicle.html
https://www.allstate.com/tr/car-insurance/in-case-of-a-car-accident.aspx