What do I do after an accident?
-Assess your health and the health of anyone else involved in the accident. If any injuries appear to be serious, you should arrange for medical care immediately (dial 911).
-Remain calm and non-confrontational. Getting into an argument with the other driver, eyewitnesses, or medical personnel will not help the situation in any way.
-Get the information from the other driver (driver’s license number, license plate number, insurance company and policy number). Get information from the any eyewitnesses (including name, address, and telephone number).
-Make sure the police are called and that the officer files a report. If an officer will not respond to the scene, visit a police station within 48 hours to file an accident report.
-Make sure you receive necessary medical treatment. Just because you were not taken from the scene in an ambulance does not mean you are not injured. Sometimes a person will brush off pain as simple soreness from an accident. If you are not checked out by a medical professional, you will not know whether it is something more than normal soreness.
-Never give the other driver’s insurance company a recorded statement (see my previous article for the reasons behind this).
-The insurance company will likely handle the property damage claim separate from your claim for bodily injury. This is acceptable, but the insurance company is not entitled to ask you questions regarding your bodily injuries.
-Do not rush to settle your bodily injury claim until you have been examined by a medical professional and have talked with an attorney.
While handling a property damage claim may be fairly straightforward (ie. my car needs a new bumper), injuries to a person may be complex. A person may need physical therapy, medication, or even surgery. Just as a car may sustain damage to its frame that may not be visible to the body of a vehicle, people can sustain internal damage that is not present to the untrained eye. Settling a claim without being examined is risky and could leave you in the lurch if you need future medical care.
