You’ve Just Been in a Car Accident - Now What?

So far, today has been just like any other day. You got up in the morning, had some breakfast, and now you’re on your way to work. Everything is going normally, when suddenly your car is hit from behind by another. Now your entire day is changed, and you have to figure out what to do next. Millions of people go through something like this every year, but it can still be a little hard to know what to do when it happens to you. If you ever find yourself in a car accident, here are the steps you should follow.

Take Care of Yourself

First and foremost, you need to take care of yourself. You can do this in two ways. First, if you need medical attention, you should call for an ambulance right away. The sooner you make the call, the sooner help will arrive. Besides that, you should also get yourself to safety. Sometimes accidents happen in inconvenient spots, and before you start to handle the rest, you’ll want to be in a safe location. So pull over to the side of the road, or get out of the car entirely if you see any smoke.

Handle the Formalities

If you are in good enough shape, and you’re in a safe location, now you can start handling some of the other formalities. Whenever you’re in a car accident involving another person, there are a few things you need to do. First, you should call the police so that they can come and file an official report. Next, you should swap information with the other drivers. This includes name, address, phone number, license plate number and insurance information.

Finally, take out your cell phone and snap some pictures of the accident. Get pictures of your car, other cars involved, the surrounding area, and any injuries you received. The more pictures you take, the better off you’ll be if you encounter any problems down the line.

Decide What to do With Your Car

Next, you’ll need to think about your car. If you’re lucky, the damage was minor and you’ll be able to drive away. You’ll likely have to have an auto shop take a look at it in order to get out the dents and scrapes, but for the most part your car is fine.

In other cases you won’t be so lucky. The accident will be so bad that you’ll be unable to drive your car to the auto shop, and you’ll need to call for a tow. Many insurance providers have roadside assistance that you can call in case of an accident. Through them you can find a tow truck driver to take your car to your preferred mechanic. Once at the mechanic, they will hopefully be able to get your car running again, and everything will be covered by your insurance. If not, you’ll have to start looking for a new car, and see what you can get for your old, now totaled, car.

Get Help if You Need It

Going through a car accident isn’t always smooth sailing. Sometimes there are injuries you have to deal with, or maybe the other driver doesn’t have insurance. When going through this process, you may need to bring in some outside help. A lawyer will help to ensure that you are properly compensated for any injuries you receive, and that you don’t have to pay out of pocket for your car repairs. According to FastHelp.com, a good lawyer can provide you with:

• Guidance for how to handle the at-fault insurance company
• Towing and transportation to and from the repair shop
• Recommendations for an independent body shop for trusted, reliable work
• Ensure you’ll never pay for medical treatment out of pocket
• Handle all medical bills and documentation required for a successful case

Learn From Your Mistakes

Finally, sometimes the accident is your own fault. Maybe you were trying to eat while you drove, or you didn’t pay attention to that warning light on your dashboard. After an accident, it’s important to analyze your own role and determine if there was anything you could have done better. By learning from your mistakes you can make another accident less likely to happen, and therefore keep yourself safer.

Stay Calm During an Accident

Going through a car accident is a scary time, no matter how old you are or how long you’ve been driving. If it ever happens to you, remember to remain calm and take things one step at a time. Hopefully the above steps will help you out should you ever find yourself in this unfortunate situation, and you’ll be able to handle the accident and go through recovery with no additional problems.

This is a guest blog entry.