According to the Association For Safe International Road Travel, 4.4 million Americans get injured in car accidents each year. These accidents cost citizens up to $871 billion every year.
Have you been in a car accident before? Whether you have or not, it’s important to educate yourself on what to do after an accident.
Keep reading to learn what steps you should take after a Washington accident.
1. Check For Injuries
The first thing you should do after a car accident is to check to make sure no one is injured. Check yourself for any immediate injuries. If you’re fine you should then check on your passengers and the people in the other cars to make sure everyone is safe.
You’ll then want to move your vehicle to safety, if it’s in the middle of the road, to avoid any other accidents from occurring.
2. Contact Emergency Services
Even if you’ve only been involved in a small fender-bender, it’s important to call 911 after every accident. You might not be aware of an injury if it’s not apparent, so calling 911 will get you medical services on the scene if you need them.
Contacting the police is also important because you’ll need to file a police report after the accident. Documenting what happens is vital evidence you’ll need.
3. Collect Necessary Information
No matter who is at fault in the accident, all parties involved should collect necessary information after the accident. Make sure you have the contact information of everyone.
This should include full names, addresses, and phone numbers. You’ll also need the license and plate numbers of everyone on the scene.
Take pictures of any damage and injuries too. You’ll need this information when you contact your insurance company.
4. File Your Insurance Claim
The next step you’ll want to take is filing a claim with your insurance company. You can start this process at the scene of the accident or wait until you’ve settled down the next day.
The sooner you make the claim, the better. You’ll need to give the insurance company a statement with full details. You’ll remember this better earlier on.
Once the claim is processed you’ll be paid out so you can pay any repair or medical bills incurred because of the accident.
5. Contact an Auto Accident Attorney
Whether you have liability insurance or not, you should always contact an auto accident attorney after a crash. An attorney can help you through the claims process so you can focus on your recovery.
An attorney will help you negotiate so you can receive the best settlement possible after your accident. Check out some of the questions you should ask an attorney before hiring them in this blog post.
Take These Steps After a Washington Accident
If you’ve been involved in a Washington accident there are a few important steps to take afterward. You need to contact the police to make a report. You should get in touch with an auto accident attorney too.
Check out some of the other auto-related blogs on our site for more helpful tips.
