A car accident is a traumatic event. It’s even worse if it wasn’t your fault. You might even feel frightened, in pain, or in shock after a high-impact collision and not sure of the steps to take.

Keep reading to learn the important steps on what you should do after an accident that wasn’t your fault.

1.  Keep Calm and See If Anyone Is Injured

The moment after an accident can be very stressful – you may find yourself stunned, shocked or feeling like everything is moving in slow motion. The adrenaline may kick in and want to get out of the vehicle and assess the damage.

However, don’t be in a hurry. Take time to pause, breath, and assess yourself for any injury. Remember, you may not feel the significance of your injuries right away due to shock and adrenaline rush, especially for injuries like whiplash. Yes, being calm may seem impossible, but it is actually the key to proceeding through the next steps carefully.

2.  Seek Legal Help

If you sustain injuries in an accident, you may want to seek out legal help. But why?

You may want to seek out legal help to reclaim lost wages, compensation for medical treatment, and more. The best way to ensure this happens is by engaging a Tucson auto accident attorney. The lawyer knows how to work with insurance firms. With this, they’ll help you navigate the complex claims and settlement process to ensure you recover all the damages you deserve.

The attorney will also help you evaluate the settlement offers, help you comply with the statute of limitations where necessary. If the claim proceeds to court, the attorney will help file a successful lawsuit.

3.  Get to A Safe Area and Call for Help

Take a close look around to check whether you’re in a safe location. If possible, pull your vehicle to a safe place, and turn on the hazards to warn other motorists. Don’t move, if you’ve sustained serious injuries that may affect your movement. Your safety comes first!

Once you’re certain you’re in a safe place, contact the police. Yes, the other driver may also call 911, but don’t make this assumption. Also, you can still contact the police if the driver of the other vehicle tries to pressure you to make a gentleman’s agreement without involving the police.

4.  Exchange Car Personal Information

After an accident, you may be tempted to apologize to the other driver. Don’t make this mistake. Discussing the party at fault at this point may be counterintuitive. Instead, exchange the vehicle insurance information and collect as much data as you can.

Be sure to document this information:

·         The name of the driver

·         The insurer and policy number

·         Driver’s license number

·         The tag number

·         The driver’s phone number

·         The make, color, and model of the vehicle

5.  Collect and Save All Documentation

When it comes to an auto accident, proper documentation is incredibly important. The insurance company will want to have as much information as possible on the accident.

For insurance and legal reasons, it’s vital that you start gathering medical records on all injuries relating to the accident. The records will show the severity of the injuries and support any claims for reimbursements of medical bills.

Conclusion

Getting into an accident is the last thing you want to happen. However, in the unfortunate event that this happens, knowing what to do is essential. It’ll mean the difference between getting fair compensation for the injuries and getting nothing at all. Also, ensure you engage a competent attorney to argue your case in court.