Car Accident Tips For Drivers

Becoming involved in a car accident is no laughing matter. There are many accidents each year and sadly approximately 33,000 victims will die because they were in a collision. It is important for all drivers to understand just what they need to do if they have been an accident victim.

The first step is to remain at the accident scene. The police should be called because they will need to draft a report of what happened. If you have a camera phone on you then consider snapping some photos yourself. The police will do this as well so it is important to have enough evidence for your car insurance claim. Ask everyone involved in the accident for their information such as license plate number, driver’s license number, name, address, telephone number, and insurance company.

The second step is to get checked out by an EMT. Many accident victims even those with minor injuries refuse to get medical treatment. This is a bad move to make because in some situations, medical problems are not always visible to the naked eye. A victim could be fine one second and then dead the next. It is also a type of insurance policy in case a medical problem arises down the road. This allows the person to have proof that they were injured in a car accident so that their medical bills are covered.

The third step is to go home and call your car insurance company. A claims representative is usually available 24 hours a day to talk to drivers and begin the claims process. Make sure to have your policy information readily available to help speed up the process.

The fourth step is to make a list of everything that happened. It is important to jot down everything as fast as you can so that you can have as vivid of a memory as possible about the car accident. Once this is done, you can begin to craft a statement for the insurance claims adjuster who will handle the claim.

The fifth step is to give an official statement to the claims adjuster. Consider doing this a few days after the accident. This will allow you to get yourself composed and be able to accurately describe the events to the best of your knowledge.

The sixth step is to wait for the claims adjuster to begin to evaluate the claim. It usually takes about a week for a claims adjuster to get back to a driver about a claim. Be patient, especially if the car accident was serious. The claims adjuster will need to determine who was at fault and that can take a while in some situations. Once the claim has been completed, a driver will receive their compensation check if the insurer feels that they are entitled to one. This ends the claims process entirely if the check is cashed and no appeal is requested.