5 Things You Should Do After A Car Accident

Every motorist should drive safe abiding by the traffic rules and regulations. However, if you, unfortunately, get involved in a car accident, do not panic. Take a moment to see if you and other people in the vehicle have sustained any physical injuries. Subsequently, get out of your car and assess it for damage. Now, you can start with the formal procedure of contacting the law enforcers, your Austin car accident lawyer, and the insurance company. Here is a brief 5-step guideline, which explains exactly what you should do after a car accident

Stop And Secure The Area

Hitting and running is a criminal offense, which can land you behind bars, so you should never drive away from the scene. Find out if you or anyone else is in need of immediate medical assistance. Make sure to secure the area by setting up flares or turning your flashers on. Another important thing, never assume responsibility! This is something explicitly stated in your insurance policy. You should let your insurer do the talking.

Collect Information

After securing the crash scene, start collecting important information about another driver (s) involved. Note down the full name, residential address, contact number, driver’s license number, insurance details, vehicle details, etc. However, it will not be easy; some drivers will refuse to cooperate. The key to dealing with them is by calling in the law enforcers. I also suggest you take pictures of the accident scene to avoid discrepancies. It will help prove your point in the proceedings.

Contact Your Insurance Company

Call your agent or the insurance company and tell them about the accident. They will guide you through the process and lend their advice on how to deal with the accident. Usually, they advise you not to admit liability since it is not up to you or others present at the scene to indict someone. This is the job of the police and the insurance provider. Even, if the injuries and damages are minor, you should still report the accident to your insurer in the scenario that the other party involved decides to take a claim or legal action against you. Besides, it is a crime to lie/conceal facts from your insurance company.

Do Not Cook Up A Story

A lot of people lose their composure after an accident and resort to cheap tactics of blaming the other party. While it is good not to assume responsibility, you should also refrain from cooking up false stories. The police are smarter than you are; they deal with such events on a daily basis. In short, refrain from speculating, guessing or distorting the facts. Make concrete statements; do not present an exaggerated version of what happened. Because there could be other witnesses of the accident around, you never know.

Contact A Legal Representative

One of the most important things you should do after the accident is to consult a legal entity such as Johnston Law Firm, P.C. They are expert in dealing with motor vehicle accidents. Their expertise will help protect your rights and ensure the valuable evidence to support your case stays intact. The best part is personal injury attorneys operate on a contingency fee basis. It means you do not pay the legal fee if the attorney fails to recover compensation for the injuries/damage.