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Being involved in a car accident is a horrible experience. Injuries aside, it can be very overwhelming when you have to deal with the other party, insurance companies and lawyers.
So, what is the best way to approach a car accident situation? A lot of the popular insurance companies like GEICO have very straight forward policies that they suggest are followed in the event of a fender bender, but those were written by lawyers and they are watered down.
This is what you really need to know. These are the must do things if you are in an auto accident, big or small.
Do Not Talk
This is a big one. Even if it is just a small fender bender with minimal damage and no physical injuries (that you are aware of) you want to remain quiet.
You can share insurance information with the other person but no not speak. Do not discuss damage and do not discuss injuries. You never know what the other person’s intentions are.
The story can change after someone speaks to an attorney and they might attempt to go after you, and if you said anything they can use against you then you will end up putting yourself in a bad situation. Remaining quiet will limit this type of potential liability.
Trade Insurance Info
You want to make sure you take down the full contact information of the other person, including his or her license number, date of birth, expiration date, license plate number, make and model of the car, as well as all information on their insurance card.
For even more protection, take a picture of everything as well. Write it down so you have a back up, but also snap pictures of their ID, plate and insurance card.
Take Photos
Make sure you not only take a lot of detailed pictures of both cars, including damaged areas and non-damaged areas, but also the area where the accident took place.
You want to be able to show the road conditions, how light it was outside (or dark) and anything else that may or may not have contributed to the accident.
If the person is dishonest they might try to claim more damage than actually occurred and if your pictures are good you can prove that wasn’t the case and it will be easy for you to dismiss any false claims.
Even if someone looks honest and trustworthy you want to assume they are a scumbag and will try to pull one over on you so prepare accordingly.
Call a Lawyer
As soon as you can, contact a lawyer. They will walk you through the steps according to what exactly happened and make sure you are protected. Never speak to anyone until you first contact legal help.
You can learn more about what information most car accident lawyers will ask for so you can be prepared ahead of time. You never want to anticipate an accident, but you also want to make sure you know what to do if you are ever involved in one.
Remain Calm
This is the biggest key here. If you get worked up or overreact it can cause a lot of unnecessary problems for you. If you are calm and just follow the advice above you will be fine.
