Tips: What to Do After an Accident: Your First Steps

Making Sure You Can Move On From a Crash

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It’s an unfortunate experience we’ve all had, some of us more than once. You’ve just been in a car accident and your car is totaled. Beyond the obvious, most important thing–that everyone is okay–there are important steps you’ll need to take, such as important phone calls to make and actions to take before you ever leave the scene of the accident. Believe it or not, many people think that they can just take off after an accident, as long as they are physically okay.

Below are the first steps you should take after getting in an accident, no matter what:

Call 911

You should always call and report an accident, even if there are no visible injuries or damage to the car. Accidents must always be logged with local law enforcement, who will come and take statements, do an accident report and assess any damage. Leaving the scene without doing this could result in criminal charges, as it’s illegal to leave the scene of an accident. (Ed. note—In many large cities police will not come unless injuries are involved in the incident.)

Get Checked Out for Injuries

Even if you look and feel fine, it’s a good idea to get assessed by medical personnel. Usually the officer attending the accident will offer this to you, but in the event that they do not, popping by an urgent care clinic to get checked out is a good idea. You never know, you might have a concussion or neck injury that you aren’t aware of. If you don’t get checked out and issues arise later, you could miss out on a medical settlement or treatment that would otherwise be paid for by insurance.

After getting checked out, make sure you give your body the best chance of recovering quickly by being as healthy as possible during the period after the accident – you may even wish to add a supplement from somewhere like Gold Bee into your diet in order to give yourself a little extra boost where needed. 

It is no secret that both medical treatments and natural pain relief products can be expensive and therefore it is important to make sure that your chosen insurance policy can cover these costs. With this in mind, you can learn more about some of the different types of pain relief products that you might need to treat any injuries sustained after a crash by taking a look at the helpful resources on the CFAH website here: www.cfah.org.

Exchange Information with the Other Driver

You should always get the other driver’s information, no matter who was at fault. Write down the make and model of their car, license plate number, get their name, address and phone number, and write down their insurance information. The police officer will do this too, and it will appear in the accident report later, but it’s a good insurance policy to write all of this down yourself too, just in case. It’ll help you get a head start on filing an insurance claim, for starters. 

Call your Insurance Company and File a Claim

You must do this even if you are not at fault. Get the accident on file with all relevant information, so your insurance company can best assist you, provide you with a rental and any other needs you may have. Provide them with as much info as you can, including pictures and the other party’s information.

At this point, it is also a good idea to pull out your insurance policy and get to grips with exactly what coverage you have. All insurances policies are different and cover different circumstances and losses, so it is important to work out what your insurance company will cover as a result of this accident.

If a party has been injured in the accident, they may want to pursue a claim for the injuries sustained and the losses that were incurred as a result of this injury. Alternatively, if a car or property has been damaged, they may seek to recover the losses of this damage. In this instance, it will be important to determine if your policy has liability insurance coverage to ensure these claims are covered by your policy.

Another common situation that arises is the need for a replacement vehicle. Again, it is advised that you check the terms and conditions of your insurance policy to determine whether this service is covered by your policy.

It is also important to remember that you have to assist your insurers in determining fault and seeking to recover damages for the accident. You will be obliged to provide them with as much information and co-operation as you can. This extends beyond reporting the claim to ongoing assistance until the matter is concluded. This could be by way of providing additional witness statements, evidence or attending medical appointments to help quantify any losses or damages you are entitled to. 

Get the Police Report

The attending officer must file a police accident report, which can appear on the police department’s website or be collected in person, usually a few days after the accident. You’ll need this for any insurance disputes or claims, as it contains the officer’s opinion as to who was at fault, details about injuries and damage, etc, so make sure you obtain a copy as soon as it is available.

If you take these steps after your accident, the process of getting your claim paid, getting another car and getting on with your life will go so much easier. In addition, after an accident, it is crucial to contact a car accident lawyer as soon as possible. A police report is usually filed after the accident, which contains important information about fault, injuries and damage. Having this report on hand can help your lawyer build a strong case on your behalf . It’s better to talk to a lwayer about your traffic collision case to ensure that you are able to get the compensation you need for medical bills, property repairs and other expenses related to the accident. By working with a team of reputable car accident lawyers, you can rest assured that your case will be handled professionally and efficiently, helping you get back on track after a difficult situation.

Selling your Car for Scrap

After your car crash, consider selling your wrecked car for scrap to a car-salvage company to get some extra money. Many people don’t know that they can receive cash for their junk cars, and they end up leaving them to rot. However, with a little bit of effort, you could get some quick cash by selling your wrecked car.

Here are some things to keep in mind when considering selling your car for scrap:

1. Check the local laws and regulations regarding the sale of car wrecks. You don’t want to run into any legal trouble by selling your car without proper documentation.

2. Find a reputable car salvage company that is willing to pay you fair market value for your car. There are many companies out there that will try to lowball you, so it’s important to do your research.

3. Make sure that you have all of the necessary paperwork in order before selling your car. This includes a title transfer form and a bill of sale.

4. Once you’ve found a reputable company to which to sell your car, be sure to get everything in writing. This way, there is no confusion about the terms of the sale later on down the road.

Car scrap prices can vary depending on the type of metal that your car is made out of. Aluminum generally fetches a higher price than steel, for example. The condition of your car wreck will also affect the price that you can get for it.