You’re going on your long-awaited and planned vacation with your friends. The preparations took a long time, the excitement grew day by day and now you have finally packed up and started your journey. Suddenly, a car accident occurs and your dream journey turns into a nightmare. No one expects such a thing, but when it comes to situations like this it’s fundamental to know what the right things to do in order to protect yourself and your rights are. We’re witnessing this kind of accident becoming too frequent among other daily news. Most people cannot handle it the right way. That’s the reason why knowing the law measures or who to ask for help should be a priority. Those situations are very stressful and it’s of great significance to try to calm down and do the correct thing.
Usually, the material damage is the main problem in car incidents, but sometimes it can be very risky for human health or life. In those cases, it’s quite necessary to look for medical help first and take care of yourself and then to think about what to do next.
In the text that follows, we will explain what you should do to get out of situations like this as easily as possible, and not to be manipulated by another participant in the incident. To find out more, keep reading.
Don’t run away – stay on the place where the accident happened
The first minutes after you survived the car accident might be very painful and confusing. Emotions are messed up and there are lots of questions in your head, but that moment is crucial in decision making. You should stay focused and do the best for yourself.
First of all, escape is not the solution and it’s not humane, no matter if it’s you or someone else that seems to be hurt. Of course, if someone was severely injured and their life is in danger, call an ambulance immediately. If that’s not the case, before you call an ambulance and police officers, there are a few things that you can do which can be helpful in the future. It is not rare situation that car which participate in car accident leave the scene. If this happened, it would be great that you remember registration plate and because there are websites such as Carveto.co.uk, which can provide information about car owner.
First of all, turn your engine off to reduce the risk of fire, put your fluorescent vest on, and set up the safety triangle. You can also use the camera from your mobile phone to take some pictures or videos of the place where the incident happened. Those pictures will be valid in the future if you want to prove something.
Also, it could be meaningful to talk to eyewitnesses like passengers or employees from stores and restaurants that the place is surrounded by. When you do that, don’t forget to take their contact details, just in case you need their assistance and statements later.
Call the police and the ambulance
The next step that has to be taken for sure is to call the experts for those cases and wait for the police officers and the ambulance to come. The ‘guilty’ person, the one who caused the incident will often try to avoid the presence of the professionals and try to make things right with some kind of agreement or compensation. This isn’t recommendable, as there is a pretty big chance that later you won’t be able to get the compensation for the damage from the insurance company. When the police arrive at the scene of the accident, they’ll start investigating. That’s the moment when both sides need to make a kind of statement. Officers will make a report with all the necessary details and information of the case – this step is also meaningful because it’s followed by the legal procedure.
Compensation coverage
Once you’ve done all the things that we mentioned above, someone should pay for the damage. Car owners usually have special car insurance that covers all the unexpected costs in problematic situations like this. If the person who caused the accident didn’t run away, you should go with them to the insurance company to complete the claim for damages. The insurance company will evaluate the damage that has been done and then you’ll be able to take your car to a mechanic.
Anyway, if the other participant simply ran away, and you didn’t see his license plate, you’re also entitled to compensation for the fear or mental pain you suffered. To qualify for insurance you need to meet certain conditions: the driver must have a valid driver’s license, they must not be under the influence of alcohol or other prohibited substances and the vehicle must be technically correct.
Find a good car accident attorney
It’s for sure that it’s so difficult to go through situations like this alone. There’s always a need for professional help, so after calling the authorities it’s advisable to make another call and to get a lawyer.
There are a lot of great law firms like Cordisco&Saile who will always try to solve your problems the best way and to recommend you a great attorney with years of experience. Their role is essential when you try to get the money from the insurance company as for them your needs come first. Insurance companies usually seek a way to get profit and they don’t care so much about clients and their needs. There’s always a chance you might be fooled – that’s why your professional advocate will be on your side and protect your rights as best as they can.
Car accidents happen all the time. Each one of us has to know that there’s always the possibility of being a participant in incidents like this. Therefore, it’ s always recommendable to at least do our best to try not to cause such a thing. But if it happens anyway as a result of someone else’s inattention, you have to know what the first things that you should do for yourself are like contacting an experienced lawyer from companies like bruscatolaw.com with a renowned record.
It’s not only about medical help, which is obligatory in those cases: it’s also about the rights that you have as a participant who didn’t cause the accident. You shouldn’t let yourself get misguided and deceived by the culprit and the insurance company, and you have to find a way to help yourself as efficiently as you can.