5 Things to Do When You Found Yourself on a Car Accident
According to the World Health Organization, there are about 12,000 Filipinos who die due to road-related accidents each year. Since our cities today are mostly filled with congested and busy streets and highways, there is no doubt that car accidents have been the common stories in daily newspapers and television programs.
Everybody must’ve witnessed or got themselves involved in a car accident at least once in their lives. If you’re one of those people who never experienced such an incident before, it is very important for you to be equipped with appropriate knowledge that can help you to respond accordingly. Because there will be cases wherein a life of someone might be on the line.
Below are five things that you need to do if you found yourself in a car accident:
Stop your car As a driver
It is your legal obligation to stop your vehicle in the event of a crash. Regardless of its severity, you must stop your car even if it’s just a minor collision.
Check and assess the damage
Once you finally brought your car to a halt, it’s time to determine the extent of the damage. Of you’re before you can see if everyone’s ok, make sure that you didn’t sustain any form of injury. If you’re still in good shape, check if any of your passengers needs immediate medical attention. It is better to wait for the ambulance or the police before deciding to move anything.
Call the police
It is always beneficial for both parties involved in the accident to settle down the problem by contacting the local police authority. If you availed your car with an excellent auto-insurance policy before the event, the statement or official report from the police could increase your chances of success once you filed a claim.
Avoid discussing the incident with the opposite party
Remember that you for your own good, you must never admit any fault and liability to the other party involved in the accident. Even if your guts and instincts tell you so, assuming responsibility for such a scenario will put your ability to recover compensation for any damages into jeopardy. This is because your insurance provider will become legally responsible as well, and it might force them to bear all of the expenses incurred from the damages in the accident.
Keep your conversations with the opposite party restricted especially when their insurance company starts to call you.
Gather every essential information
Keep every document that contains necessary information regarding the incident. These things can help you protect your stand and make a stand or strengthen your car insurance claim:
- Place of the accident, especially the address
- Date and time of the accident
- Photos of the scene
- Notes that describe the weather, or visibility during the accident
- Names and contact information of any witnesses
- The name, badge number, and contact information of the police officer who attended the accident
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