Even if you’re the best driver in the world, you may run into situations where you get in a car accident. It might be something as small as a fender bender. There might not be any other cars involved, for example, if you slipped on ice and ran into a sidewalk. Or, it could be a multiple car pileup when many people and lots of damage have occurred.
The important thing is to know what to do in all of those instances. You have to know when to call the police. You have to know which information to get from other people respecting insurance or identification. And you may want to contact an attorney quickly to make sure you’re doing the right things at the scene. You also have to do everything possible to make sure you archive the situation, including taking pictures or video.
Call the Police
When you get in a car accident, you need to call the police. They will come to make sure that any conflict is resolved, and they will also make sure that you have the appropriate documentation to get compensated if you need any insurance adjustments. The police can also help you make arrangements to tow your car somewhere, and potentially figure out how to get you where you need to go.
Get Insurance Information and IDs
If you’re angry, or confused, you can often forget what to do immediately after getting in an accident. Whoever is involved, you need to make sure you get their insurance information and any info that you need from their driver’s license. Some people will try to make arrangements where they don’t have the police involved, and they don’t exchange information about insurance and identification, but that can come back to bite you.
Contact an Attorney
Once you get the initial actions settled after you get in a car accident, the next thing that you should do is contact a car accident attorney. On the phone or online, they will talk you through the process of making sure that you handle all of the details on scene correctly. If you know the number of an attorney in advance, then you won’t have to figure out how to choose one on the fly.
Make Sure To Archive Everything
No matter the size and scope of the accident that you get in, you need to make sure that you archive everything. Get photos of the damage, license plates, insurance cards, the place on the road where it happened – anything that could potentially be used to back up your case if you end up in court. Often, whichever party has the best photos and videos of a situation will be the person who gets the most appropriate compensation for an accident or incident on the road.
