After an auto accident

Q: What things should I be aware of if I get into an auto accident?

Getting into an auto accident is never a pleasant experience. However, with the right things in mind you can avoid from this leading to further problems. Sadly, if the right steps aren’t taken during the accident process, you, as a consumer, might face serious consequences with your insurance company which might range from fines to lawsuits.

Here are the things you should do when you get into an auto accident:

• Before doing anything else, calm down and make sure that you are okay.
• If you believe that there might be something wrong with you, call the ambulance immediately.
• If you didn’t need to call the ambulance, you didn’t have to. However, make sure that the next number you dial is one that belongs to the police.
• When the police arrive and investigate the crash, be sure to ask for a police report. This report will come in handy when you are filing a claim.
• Even if the accident was your fault, be sure to tell the truth.
• Keep in mind that telling the truth doesn’t require saying the word, “sorry” or any other words that might immediately symbolize your fault. Simply describe what happened and make sure that you avoid any sings of words that might indicate that you were the cause of the accident.
• Do not about anything that the police asks you. This little fib that you thought would have no affect might come back to haunt you.
• Keep in mind that you have to be very careful with the things you say. Avoid absolutely any admission of fault before this case is further investigated.
• A great thing to have in your car is a single-use camera. This might come in incredibly handy if you want to take pictures of the damage that was made to your vehicle. Be sure to photograph both vehicles and the damage that was caused.
• After making phone calls to the ambulance (if necessary) and the police, make sure that you call your auto insurer. During your conversation with the insurer, make sure that you remain calm and thoroughly describe what happened. Be sure that you listen to everything that they have to tell you.
• Hiring a lawyer is the last step that you might want to consider. Even though hiring a lawyer isn’t a mandatory step in the auto accident procedure, keep in mind that this does have benefits. If you were injured severely, it is a great idea to hire a lawyer simply to speed up the process and keep the communication between you and your insurance company in better condition.