As someone with a driver’s license, there are several responsibilities that you must always practice. But, among all the responsibilities you have as a driver, one of the most important would be keeping the streets safe for you, other drivers, and pedestrians.
Considering that you’ve passed the driver’s test that comes before getting a license, it makes sense that you should be well aware of this responsibility. Unfortunately, this may not be true in all cases. For example, even if you do your best to be a safe driver, others may not take their responsibilities too seriously. As such, they can cause a car accident.
In cases of a car accident, there are several ways to settle this. One of the most common routes would be by filing a case. But, unfortunately, going about it this way doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get the outcome you want. Even if you were on the receiving end of the accident, you could still make mistakes that can ruin your auto accident case.
That’s why it’s essential to keep a few things in mind. First, of course, you may never find yourself in an accident. But, it would still come in handy should you find yourself in one. That way, you’ll have answers to questions like, “What should I do right after an accident” and even, “What happens if someone else is driving my car and has an accident”.
Things You Should Remember
Should you ever find yourself in a car accident, one of the most important things you should do after it happens would be to keep calm and to have some presence of mind. Doing so ensures that you’re able to deal with the rest of the situation as reasonably as possible.
Of course, it’s also essential to ensure that you’re safe and away from any immediate danger. If you need help, call for help. If the accident was minor and you can get out of your car, then do so as soon as it is safe.
1. Gather Evidence
So, once you’ve had some time to collect yourself and you’re able to get out of your car, the most important thing you should do is get some evidence. That means taking pictures of what happened, such as the damages to your vehicle and the accident scene. In addition, if any people witnessed the accident, it would also help to get their accounts of what happened.
By doing so, you’re doing all that you can to help build a strong case for when you decide to take things to court. The more proof you have, the easier things will be for things to be ruled in your favor.
2. Call the Proper Authorities
After assessing the situation, it’s essential to contact the proper authorities. That may mean the police or traffic enforcers in your area. By doing so, they can help make a record of what happened and help you sort things out as well.
Aside from that, having authorities present will ensure that the immediate post-accident situation will be taken care of in the most appropriate manner. Furthermore, as authorities such as traffic enforcers usually follow specific procedures for these incidents, you can at least be assured that you’ll have the proper assistance coming out of that accident.
3. Consult a Lawyer ASAP
In these types of situations, chances are insurance companies will contact you right away. But, unfortunately, while they may come to you in the guise of assisting you, they might not be as helpful as you’d expect. Sometimes, you might get lowballed in terms of compensation after the accident.
As such, it’s essential to contact an experienced car accident lawyer as soon as you can. With their help, they’ll be able to ensure you get what’s due to you. They’ll also ensure that you go about your auto accident case properly, helping you avoid any slip-ups throughout the process.
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4. Documentation!
Part of ensuring you get what’s due to you in your car accident case would be to make sure you get adequately compensated. So, if you had any medical bills that came up because of the accident, lost some wages due to hospitalizations, and other financial matters pertaining to your accident, it’s essential to keep these in the file.
You will need these during your case proceedings as these will help with the calculations for your compensation.
Other Things You Might Want to Know
Aside from those four important things to keep in mind, there may be other questions that you might have in mind. For example, will things change if someone else was driving your car when the accident happened? Well, the answer to that isn’t all too complicated.
What If Someone Else Was Driving My Car?
For whatever reason, if someone else were driving your car and got into an accident, not much about the situation would change.
Insurance Matters
Fortunately, insurance-related matters are relatively straightforward in these situations. Even if someone else were driving your car, your insurance would still cover any accident-related issues as it’s your car that’s insured.
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Of course, there’s also the question of how insurance would apply if the person driving happens to be uninsured. Fortunately, most insurance providers have provisions for these situations. More specifically, there are options for you to add other people to your insurance coverage. So, your friend doesn’t really have to worry so much about being uninsured as well.
However, it’s worth noting that while getting auto insurance isn’t necessarily required, it’s always good to have some in case of incidents like this. After all, it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
“Wasn’t me”
If your friend wasn’t the one at fault in the accident, they have every right to make a claim on this. As such, you can both take it to court so that a settlement can be reached and so that you can work out the compensation as well. So, in these instances, you’d just have to go about it the same way you usually would if you were the one in the accident.
Looking Ahead
While you may never get into a car accident, it always pays to be prepared. By doing so, you’ll know how to handle the situation properly and get the outcome that’s most favorable for you. At least, you now know that getting the help of a lawyer is one of the most important things to do after an accident. Primarily because they can ensure you get the proper compensation.
Of course, one should never hope to get into an accident either way. But, should it ever happen, you can be confident in yourself as you at least know how to go about it the right way. However, whatever the case may be, always make sure to drive safely.
