As I’m sure you’ve noticed, there seems to be more auto accidents these days. People today are more distracted and generally not paying attention. If you are involved in an accident due to the fault of someone else, here are the first 10 things that you should do:
1. Don’t move until the car comes to a complete stop.
2. Call the Police.
3. Stay in your vehicle until the police arrive, unless it’s not safe – in that case, move your car to a safe location near where the accident occurred while you wait for the police to arrive.
4. If there are passengers in your car, make sure everyone else is safe and try your best to attend to their needs.
5. Don’t talk to anyone else involved in the accident!!!
6. When the police arrive, tell them exactly what happened according to your best recollection and make sure they have the names and addresses of everyone in your car and the other cars involved (Police miss these things all the time).
7. Give the police an exact accounting of your injuries and the injuries of the passengers in your vehicle – TAKE PICTURES OF THE CARS INVOLVED IF IT’S SAFE TO DO SO.
8. Make sure the police know who owns the car you are driving and the other at-fault drivers (Police miss these too – they are quite busy so this just happens).
9. If an ambulance is needed, give a complete list of injuries to the ambulance personnel.
10. When you are able, immediately call your automobile insurance company to report the accident and request an application for benefits. It is crucial to do this immediately because the insurance company will not pay you the benefits you are owed until you report the accident and request the application for benefits.
Remember!!! Your Insurance Company is not your friend until they PAY YOU the contractual benefits they owe you!