All posts tagged auto collision

After the Car Crash: 4 Details You Must Record to Protect Yourself

car crash

Car accidents are a terrifying and traumatic experience. When one happens, you will need to think and act quickly to begin recording details of the car accident to protect yourself during the insurance investigation. Here are some of the most important details you should record.

Damages

Once you’ve ensured that you and your passengers are safe and aren’t in need of immediate medical attention, be sure to exit your vehicle (if able) to survey the damages to your car. While you’re looking over your car, it is vital that you take pictures of the damages your car possesses due to the accident. To protect yourself in the inevitable insurance litigation, it would also be wise to take pictures of the other car involved in the accident. These pictures will serve as visual proof of the true extent of the accident to both insurance companies.

Witness Testimony

Car accident litigation can prove to be a messy and challenging ordeal. To protect yourself during a possible trial or negotiation process, it will be highly beneficial to you to record any testimony from those who witnessed the accident. This sort of situation would most likely fall into the realm of personal injury law. It’s common for the other person involved in the accident to refute your version of events. Sometimes individuals aim to move the blame onto you and thus make you responsible for the financial burden of the accident. Acquiring eyewitness testimony can help to prove your version of events and will help your personal injury lawyer with arguing your case.

Traffic Details

Car accidents can be caused by a multitude of factors, many of which can be attributed to details of the traffic in the area and the traffic signs or notifications. Car accidents do occur because someone ran a red light or didn’t stop at a stop sign. Because of the importance of the traffic signs and notices in the area, it is essential that you record any traffic signs, notices, markings, or lights that are in the area of your car accident. Recording these details may help to prove who was truly at fault for the accident and see that justice is served.

Day, Time, and Weather

These details may not seem important to you at the time of your accident, but recording these small details can help in any upcoming litigation or negotiation regarding financial restitution for your damages. Recording the date and time can help to create a timeline of events leading up to the accident. Recording the weather helps protect you if bad weather happens to be the cause of your accident.

When you experience a car accident, it is right and legal to trade your name, car information, and insurance company information with the other person. Also, record their license plate number as an added precaution.

Car Collision: How to Recover after an Automobile Accident

cracked windshield

You jump in your car, thinking all you have to do is drive to your destination and observe the laws of the road. It may seem pretty simple, but sometimes people forget that car collisions are possible, which can happen when you least expect them. The following are a few helpful tips to help you recover after a car accident.

Medical Attention

Perhaps one of the most important steps to take is to go to the doctor. This is vital, even if you think you are okay because there are times when some injuries do not show symptoms until much later. Have a doctor examine you to make sure that you are okay before taking additional steps; besides, a medical record of this accident could be helpful later on.

Legal Action

The next thing you want to do is make sure you get legal representation. Recovering from this accident is not going to be cheap, so you need to make sure that the party responsible takes care of your expenses. Keep in mind that you might receive medical bills, car repair bills, and you may even lose work due to the accident. You shouldn’t endure these costs on your own and you do not have to.

Car Repairing

Your car needs to recover too. The damage to your vehicle could be extensive, but you have to address the issues head-on as soon as possible. Be sure to hire specialists to deal with your car to make sure it is done right like hiring car windscreen repair specialists to deal with any damaged windows.

Defense Driving

It might be a good idea to take a few defensive driving classes. These classes not only teach you how to avoid accidents but also teach you driving skills to minimize a car accident should you ever be in another one. This class should help give you the confidence you need as a driver and will help make you a more proactive, safe driver that should keep you safe out there. No one wants to imagine this could happen again, but at least you are better prepared now.

Hopefully, some of these suggestions make it easier for you to recover from your car accident. The road to recovery can be long, but the work is worth it at the end. Try your best to be patient because this can take some time.

The First Four Things Your Should Do After Being In A Collision

Being in an auto accident can certainly be an extremely frightening experience. Even still, you need to keep your wits about you directly after a collision. What you do next can determine if your finances or even your health will take as much damage as your vehicle. Below are the first four things you should do directly after a collision.

Get Medical Attention

If there is any possibility that anyone in either vehicle involved in the crash was injured, the first thing you should do before anything else is call for an ambulance. According to IIHS.org, there are over 30,000 vehicle related deaths a year. However, with proper medical attention, lives can be saved. You should also keep in mind that the seriousness of some injures such as whiplash may not be immediately apparent. Play it safe and call 9-1-1 if needed.

Call the Police

Another thing you must absolutely do is call the police. If you don’t call the police, you will never obtain a police report regarding the accident. According to the DMV, you should be able to obtain the police report a week after the accident. This will insure that the other party involved in the accident won’t be able to lie or shift blame if the details of the accident are disputed.

Swap Insurance Information

To make sure you aren’t held liable for any damage, you must swap insurance information with the other driver. After doing so, call your insurance company immediately. If they aren’t made aware of the crash right away and aren’t able to contact the other driver’s insurance company to work out the details, there is a possibility you may be accountable for your own repair costs, medical costs and other costs related to the accident.

Contact an Attorney

Sometimes accidents result in lawsuits. This is for good reason too. Insurance may refuse to cover all the expenses related to an accident. The other driver may not have insurance and may have been acting negligently. In some cases car insurance may not be able to cover things like lost wages and pain and suffering, that is why it’s a good idea to seek help from an attorney such as those at Snyder & Wenner, P.C. . Sometimes, compensation for these has to be obtained in court.

Being involved in an accident can be very stressful. Even so, you must take the correct actions after an accident. Not doing so can have great ramifications for your health as well as your financial livelihood.

Car Totaled in an Accident? 5 Tips on What to Do Next

A totaled car is one that has been destroyed in an accident. There is extreme damage to the front, back or side that is caused by a heavy collision. Handle your totaled vehicle quickly and effectively. There are certain steps involved in handling this situation. After you experience this accident, know five steps that you must take next.

Submit a Claim Immediately

It is not good to sit on any claim. A day or two after the accident, submit your documents to the insurance provider. The process could take a month or more, depending on the severity of the accident, so immediacy is important. Also, know if you car is even totaled. The repairs will cost more than the current value. Check over the vehicle and submit accurate information in your claim.

Tow the Vehicle Right Away

Contact a towing company right after the crash. The specific company does not really matter because the car is only being stored. The storage fees are usually high, so it is important to remove the vehicle immediately.

Know the Current Value of the Vehicle

To pay for repairs, know the current value of the vehicle. A claim is determined by the actual cash value instead of the repair costs. Review the numbers in the Kelly Blue Book and recent auto listings. Make sure that the insurance provider is working with fair prices. Know that you are receiving the right payouts.

Find the Title

Keep hold of your car title when it is needed. Otherwise, file for a lost one immediately. The insurance provider may require that you sign it over. To keep the car, you may have to file for a salvaged title. Reselling the car may be harder, but you can resell the parts.

Submit the Documents Immediately

Filling out numerous documents is included the total claims process, but you must submit them before the deadlines. It could take months before you receive results from an insurance company or lawyer. Jeffery C. Metler, a personal injury lawyer, always urges his clients to submit any necessary paper work as quickly as possible after the accident so that they will have the best chance of getting what they need from the insurance company. The process starts with your fast actions, which affects the chances of restoring your vehicle.

Communication and fast acting are important factors when you deal with a totaled car. Review the five tasks that you must fulfill to deal with this accident. Communicate closely with the adjuster. Most of all, act quickly before your benefits run out. Work through an efficient process of handling a totaled vehicle.