Being in an automobile accident is one of the scariest events in a person’s life. Unfortunately, these situations are common and leave us unsure of how to act at the moment. The fear, possible injuries, and complete insanity surrounding such a stressful moment can make us forget the steps we should be taking to ensure the incident is remedied properly. Below, we’ll discuss how you should navigate a vehicular accident to help you deal with this scary situation.
Insurance companies need proper information for claims.
After an accident, once all parties have been checked for injuries, gathering the necessary information for an auto insurance claim is a must. While waiting on authorities, it’s a great idea to pull out your smartphone and take pictures for insurance purposes. The position of the vehicles and the damage caused to them, including a busted windshield or body damage, should be well documented. These photos can be given to your auto insurers to show exactly what happened during your accident.
Ensuring that you have proper collision coverage on your insurance policy helps cover you in the event of an automobile accident. Once your deductible is met, your auto policy will step in to cover damages to your vehicle, and if you’re at fault, the other driver’s vehicle as well. This helps get everyone involved in the accident back on the road quicker and with fewer upfront costs.
In some accidents, bodily injury or fatalities may be involved. When an accident includes more than property damage, special steps must be taken. Speak with your insurer about the coverages they offer regarding medical expenses and other costs that you may incur when a collision includes bodily injury or death.
Check around for the best costs on repairs not covered by your car insurance.
If you don’t have full coverage auto insurance or collision coverage, you may find yourself responsible for your own repair costs. This process can be quite costly if you don’t take the time to get quotes from multiple companies. Issues such as removing overspray from car paint are best left to professionals to ensure no further damage is done to your vehicle.
Visiting a body shop with knowledge on overspray can help you get body or paint damage taken care of quickly if you’ve chosen this type of wrapping for your vehicle. If you’ve done your research properly, you may find the body shop you’ve chosen is also able to help with other mild damages, such as replacing the windshield or removing dents.
You should be prepared to appear in court if necessary.
No one wants to make a court appearance, but often, after an accident, this is a must. This is when the information you gathered at the scene for your insurance company can come in handy. By taking the proper measures in those crucial first moments, you can share your documentation, your insurance policy specifics, and police reports with the court to show exactly what happened the day of the accident.
Another important step when appearing in court is to dress properly. No judge wants to preside over a hearing where people show up unprepared or disheveled. Nice clothes such as a suit or a dress with black wide calf boots can show that you’re not only prepared but respectful of the goings-on inside the courtroom.
If you find yourself involved in a vehicular accident, the first step is to remain calm. If you can keep yourself together during this traumatic experience, you can quickly make the best decisions for you and the other driver involved. Be cordial to other victims during this process, and remember, accidents do happen, and working with the others involved can make the entire situation easier to handle.