Car accidents happen all the time, but until we actually go through one, many of us don’t take the time to educate ourselves about what we really need to do if we get into one. This causes a problem for one of our local Miami clients, 1800Injured, who will generally only be able to help if potential clients already knew they existed before they got into a car accident.
So, how do we reach people who aren’t sitting in a car wreck yet? One important answer we’ve found is safety. People care about their own and their children’s safety, and giving people the tools they need to keep their loved ones safe is a great way to reach an audience. After the obvious steps of pulling over, calling the police, and checking on the other people involved, we often just end up standing there, wondering what to do next.
Here are 4 important things to do every time you get into a car accident.
Take Pictures
Most of us don’t take pictures of the scene because we don’t think it’ll be that important, or we don’t want the other driver to feel threatened. This is a mistake. You should always take a few pictures of the damage and the scene of the crash. This isn’t about the other driver so much as it is about your insurance company.
You might need to be able to prove where exactly the crash occurred in relation to an intersection or specific road signs, or you may need to show how your car was damaged. Taking a few pictures right away can save you a big headache later.
Go To The Doctor
A very common problem with insurance claims for car accidents is that people will try to file claims on injuries that didn’t get documented till weeks after the actual accident. This is especially common with whiplash. Whiplash symptoms take hours or days to really manifest and can get very severe, including extreme pain, temporary vision problems, headaches, and stiffness.
Since a lot of people get home before they really feel these symptoms, they’ll try to wait it out at home. Unfortunately whiplash symptoms can persist for weeks or months, resulting in loss of income as well as sizeable medical bills to help treat the condition.
To ensure that your whiplash symptoms can be legally linked to the accident you should seek medical help immediately after the accident, so that a doctor can provide a record of your injuries right from the start.
Call Your Insurance Company
Regardless of who you’re going to be filing a claim with, you need to call your insurance company to report the accident. Most policies require immediate reporting and full cooperation. DON’T admit fault or agree to any kind of settlement in the aftermath of your accident. You should always carefully examine your options before making a decision, preferably with the help of a legal professional.
Get some Solid Legal Advice
Call a lawyer. Get in touch with experienced legal and medical support who will make sure that you’re treated with the respect and care that you deserve. It’s important to get help in dealing with this type of situation, especially if you haven’t done it before, so that you don’t end up stuck with a huge bill at the end of it.