It is not uncommon to feel a little shaken after a car accident, but what you do in the moments after a crash can have a huge impact on what happens next. It is essential that you have a plan in place for reacting to a crash if you are feeling upset.
NerdWallet explains that the actions you take after an accident can impact the investigation into the crash, affect your chances of claiming damages and possibly even lead to legal issues. The first thing you need to do is to make sure you are safe. Depending on where your accident takes place and the extent of the damage, you should try to move to a safe space. In addition, there are few other things you want to do to protect yourself.
Gather information
You should start gathering information right away. Make sure to get information about the other vehicle and driver as soon as you can, just in case he or she leaves the scene. You should also take pictures and talk to witnesses. Do what you can to get as much information as possible right after the crash. However, avoid oversharing and giving too much information about yourself and your thoughts on the accident. Do not admit fault, no matter what.
Contact law enforcement
You should contact law enforcement. They may need to come to the scene, depending on the damages and if there are injuries. In any case, though, you want to call them and report the accident.
Contact your insurance company
You need to call your insurer and let them know what happened. Your provider may collect the information that you already gathered and get your claim jumpstarted. Do not delay calling your insurance company as it will work to help you if the other driver is at fault and as you navigate dealing with the other person’s insurance company.
