What To Do If You Have A Car Accident

August 07, 2018

A few weeks ago, I was driving through an intersection a few blocks from my home. I had taken this route hundreds of times but it was different today. I heard a sudden honk from a car horn and looked up to see a vehicle bearing down on my driver’s side door. A few seconds later all my afternoon plans changed.

I was involved in a car accident.

After checking my person to see if everything was ok with me physically, I slowly exited the car. I was thankful that the situation was not any worse, but I also knew I had some work to do. It was incumbent upon me to get the right information so that I would be compensated for the damages. This was definitely not my fault. Here’s what I did to make sure I was covered.

Gather up the information

• Take pictures of the damage and the scene – Because the collision occurred in a busy intersection, I knew there was a high likelihood the vehicles would need to be moved, so I got myself to safety and took a few quick pictures of the vehicles in their post collision positions. I also took pictures of the vehicle damage, along with the license plate of the other party.
• Take pictures of or exchange insurance and contact information – Once we were in a safe place, the other driver and I exchanged names, contact information, and insurance information. This is usually the point in time you discover if the other party has insurance in place. You may need to report the collision to both companies so having the other party’s identifying information is crucial.
• Get the information from any witnesses – Several people who witnessed the collision approached to tell their version of the event. I made sure to obtain contact information for them as well. The experience can be a bit of whirlwind, so you will want to make sure you have a good witness or two that can lay out the events clearly in case of a dispute.

Prepare to tell your story again, and again, and again

• When the police arrive – Once an officer arrived on the scene, he asked those involved in the collision what happened. It’s important to give your version of events in an easy to understand manner. Once the vehicles were moved to an even safer environment, the officer asked each party separately what happened. What he was looking for was consistency in our points of view. When the officer was done, he gave us information regarding how to retrieve the official police report.
• Talk to both insurance companies – Even though you have up to 24 hours to report an accident to your insurance company, it makes sense to do it while the events are fresh. Upon arriving home, I went ahead and contacted my own insurance company first. I did that because I wanted my insurance company to have on record my version of events in case the other driver attempted to contact them as well. After that I called the other party’s insurance company to make a claim. Be aware that both companies will likely record your statement.

Getting things back in order

• Get yourself checked out medically – Even if you feel good physically, go ahead and make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible. The initial shock of a collision can produce enough adrenaline in the near term to make you feel ok, but you want to have a professional be sure that you did not overlook something once the adrenaline wears off. This can be really important if you find yourself with a back or neck injury after the fact.
• Getting back on the road – Our family of 5 is a 2-car household by necessity, so I began working with my insurance company on obtaining a rental car and starting the process of having the damage appraised on my vehicle right away. It was a good time to pull out my policy and review the benefits I was eligible to receive. In situations where you are not at fault, you can often choose which company would handle the claim (although this may vary from state-to-state). Even if the other party claims responsibility, it may make sense to use your own company because it may offer higher or better coverages. Then your company can send the other company a bill for what is owed.

Walking away safely from a car accident is always the primary goal. Taking these steps can also give you peace of mind that your action will give you the best opportunity to make your financial situation whole after a car accident as well.