Advice for after a car accident

pauljames
January 27, 2013

To be honest I’ve never really been in a serious car accident and touch wood I consider myself very lucky that I haven’t ever found myself in this position. Being in a car accident is certainly not something that I would ever wanted to be involved in, but unfortunately as records show us you are much more likely to be injured in a car accident than on any other type of public transport (by about ten times!).

We all have different ways to dealing with accidents of this type, and this differs very much from person to person, but if you do find that you are the victim of a motor vehicle accident, the action that you take in the immediate aftermath can have a profound effect on how that accident impacts your life and as such it’s crucial that you do take the right steps to look after yourself first and foremost.

If you are involved in an accident then here are five key steps to take after your car accident:

Look after #1
In any situation where you have been injured, you are the most important person and as such looking after your own health is the most important thing to do in the immediate aftermath of an accident. Check that you are alright and don’t be stubborn, if an ambulance arrives then allow yourself to be properly checked out, you may have an illness or injury that you don’t even know about
Call the police/ authorities
If you are involved in an accident then you should get the police and authorities involved because in many situations the law has been broken. If the accident wasn’t your fault then it’s particularly important to take this step and ensure that you are covered in the event of further action
Check damage/take details
If your accident is relatively minor then you may not need to go to the full extent of getting the ambulance services involved, and you can take more of the responsibility into your own hands here. Check the damage to your vehicle and their vehicle, take photos and any other evidence you can and make sure to take their details for insurance purposes
Gather evidence
Make sure you collect any evidence that you can from the scene. This includes photographic evidence and the contact details of bystanders who may be able to give an eyewitness account if you need them to back you up in court
Look into your legal options
If you have been the victim of another person’s negligence then chances are that you will need to look at the options available to you, especially if you are looking to claim back any costs or expenses that you have incurred. You shouldn’t be left out of pocket as a result of another person’s negligence and if you are then a compensation claim could be considered.