There are few things as shocking as being involved in a traffic accident. Whether you’re in a car, on a bike, or in any other circumstances, this is something that is going to shake you up. The following are some of the key points to bear in mind to sort out this distressing situation in the best way possible.
Stop and Record All The Details
Stopping is the first step in any traffic accident. You need to check what damage has been done and whether anyone is injured. This is also a chance to take photos of the incident, which could come in handy later if there’s any doubt about who is to blame for it.
Don’t just drive away, even if it looks like no damage has been done. In fact, you might end up in serious trouble if you flee the scene of an accident. Instead, look for witnesses and talk calmly with anyone else affected by the crash. Remember to put out your warning triangle and turn on your vehicle’s hazard warning lights if it is causing a hindrance on the road.
Your insurance company will tell you to always call the police in the event of an accident, even if it doesn’t look particularly serious. They will also advise that you don’t admit to causing the accident at the scene, as this could lead to them not paying out your claim. Always remember to be polite to others without saying anything that could work against you in the future.
Be sure to keep the scene intact until the police arrive. The police report is an important part of any claim made. Hence, you have to make sure that they see it exactly as it happened. You’re likely to forget some of the details later, so do take note of as much as you can at the time.
Inform Your Insurance Company
Next, exchange insurance details with anyone else involved in the accident, and also ask for the details of any witnesses present. With this information, get in touch with your insurance company and ask them to deal with the claim on your behalf.
Typically, the insurance companies of the parties involved will liaise with each other. They will come to an agreement on who is actually responsible for the accident. All you need to do in most cases is wait to find out if you are held accountable or if it’s the other party who is responsible.
You may leave all the liaising with your insurance company as they work on it. They will let you know if there is anything to do. If the claim is assessed as your responsibility, you will notice an increase in your insurance premium in the following years.
However, in some instances, they may come back to you and ask for more information on what happened. Give them as many clear details as you can to help them process the claim quickly. You might also like to keep a file where you put everything related to the accident in one place.
Find Out If You Can Make a Personal Injury Claim
More than two million Americans suffer whiplash injuries from traffic accidents every year. Yet, this is the kind of injury that isn’t always obvious at first. Therefore, you might not realize right away that you’ve been injured. It can be hours later before you start to feel some pain. Just be aware of the possibility of this occurring over time.
Whiplash can last for just a couple of weeks, or it can drag on for months. If you start to feel discomfort, visit a medical professional and keep a record of the injury. You should always keep accurate records of the costs and inconvenience incurred.
You can then look into the types of injury claims that your situation falls into. This sort of claim is where someone is injured and another is at fault either through their actions or their negligence. You can engage a solicitor to act on your behalf. He/She will gather and then submit documents for the claim to be processed successfully.
Rebuild Your Confidence
Being involved in a traffic accident may shake your confidence, even if you didn’t do anything wrong. Getting back behind the wheel can cause anxiety, but try not to put it off for too long. You can start with short, easy drives until you start to feel your confidence coming back.
You might decide to take an advanced driving course, such as a series of defensive driving lessons. It’s likely that you feel uncomfortable at first, especially when you pass the site where the crash occurred. However, work through this slowly and you’ll feel more relaxed after a few weeks of driving again.
By approaching it in the right way, you can make the processes following an accident as smooth and painless as possible. You might even learn something from this experience that helps you to avoid similar situations in the future.
