If you are involved in a car accident, it’s difficult to keep your cool. There are many things to contend with, from your injuries to securing the scene to protect against a follow-up accident.
Here are five things you should absolutely do after a car accident:
- Move to safety: This typically means pulling your vehicle as far off the road as possible, such as the shoulder of the highway.
- Check yourself and passengers for injuries: You need to know what type of injuries you’re up against, as this allows you to receive the proper medical attention.
- Call 911: The operator can dispatch both police and an ambulance to the scene of the accident, with both hopefully arriving within a matter of minutes.
- Exchange information: Whether or not you do this depends on the extent of your injuries. If you feel that doing this will lead to additional harm, it’s best to avoid it.
- Contact your insurance company: Supply all the necessary information, but never feel compelled to answer questions that make you uncomfortable.
While you’re doing these things, you always need to remember that your health comes first. You should set your sights on receiving medical attention, even if you don’t feel that your injuries are severe.
Once you have your health in order, review the cause of the accident. This will give you a better idea of who was at fault, which will help guide the insurance claim process. Along the way, never lose sight of your legal rights and the steps you can take to protect them.