FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 2011
Car accidents can wreak havoc on an otherwise peaceful day. Even if they’re minor, they can often create confusion. If you have been involved in an auto accident follow these steps to arrive at a successful conclusion in which all parties are taken care of. It is important to follow each of these steps, leaving any one of them out can create problems. Depending on the severity of the accident in question will depend on how detailed you need to be with these following items.
 1. Remain calm. This is first and foremost the most important. Fights have been known to break out at the scene of accidents. This is largely due to tempers flaring up. This is not a place you want to be. Do not take one problem and turn it into a larger one by losing your cool. When you remain calm you're enabled to clearly sort out the situation, remember the relevant facts, and proceed through the rest of the checklists without problems.
2. Check for injuries. Make sure no one is injured. This includes yourself, your passengers, and the driver and passengers of the vehicle.
3. Call the police if there has been damage to your vehicle or if anyone has been injured. In most cases, an insurance company will always want you to call the police and file a report. Often times, with very minor accidents, people do not call the police. The police themselves want to be involved when there has been an accident. If at all possible and there has not been serious damage and no one is injured then moved the vehicles to the side of the road or to an area that will not block traffic as you wait for the police. The police can help you sort out the accident and act as an independent third party. They can make sure to verify the details of the accident if the need arises to show up in court to present a case about the accident.
4. Take photographs of the damage. It can be quite helpful to take photographs of any damage done to the vehicle at the scene of the accident. This is now possible using cellular phones because almost all of them include the ability to take pictures. Also take pictures of the intersection or the road that you were on when the accident occurred and any damage done to the other vehicle involved as well. These might become vital pieces of evidence for the insurance company or the court if the accident should go in that direction.
5. Exchange contact information. Always exchange contact information with the other driver who was involved in the accident. Make sure you give your contact information as well. Do not ever leave the scene of the accident without exchanging contact information. Write down the name, address, phone number and license numbers of all drivers and witnesses, particularly those who were riding in a vehicle involved in the accident. Ask for the name of the insurer and policy number all drivers involved in the car accident. Your car insurance company will need to know the information of the other driver in question.
6. Do not admit fault. To protect yourself legally, do not discuss the car accident with anyone other than the police and your insurance company. Do not blame the other driver even if they were clearly at fault. It may just start an argument. Even if you feel you may have been partially at fault, do not say anything that admits your feeling. "Fault" is often a complex determination based on the facts and complicated laws. Leave that issue for the police or an attorney to decide if necessary.
7. Call your insurance company. Calling your insurance company is one of the first steps after the accident has been taking care of by the police and everyone is safe and sound. You will want to notify your insurance provider as soon as possible and report the claim. Get them all the relevant information that you have retrieved so far to this point. The sooner your insurance company knows about the accident, the sooner it can start working to resolve your claim. Depending on who is at fault with the accident, that will determine which car insurance company will be paying for the damages.
If you're prepared and know what to do should an accident occur, it will be much easier to remain calm and collected. Being prepared also includes having the right insurance. Talk to an independent insurance agent and let them help you determine if you have the right amount of auto insurance to protect you and your vehicle. Because the last thing you want to do if you’re in a car accident is worry about how you're going to pay for the damages.
By Matt Reynolds - Google+
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