Being involved in a car accident has the potential of being one of the scariest events you will ever have in life. Because of this, it’s easy to see how someone could be at a loss for what to do in the event that one happens. Emotion takes over and the fact that everyone is ok becomes more important than what it is you are supposed to do next. It’s no wonder that we forget to take an important step in the following procedures. Needless to say, if you are in a car accident in San Antonio and you are not the at-fault driver, you should call an
accident attorney for consultation on your available recourse.
Is everyone ok?
If you are involved in a car accident, the first thing you will want to do if you are physically able is check on the safety of everyone involved. Are the other passengers in your vehicle safe? How about the individuals in the other vehicle, are they all physically alright? Were there any pedestrians that were involved in the accident? If so, what is their physical condition?
Contact the police
Once you have made sure everyone is safe, your next action is to call emergency personnel immediately. If someone has been hurt, make sure you inform the operator over the phone. Give them details such as where the accident took place and how many vehicles and people have been involved. If there isn’t serious damage that has been done to either vehicle, ask if they would like you to move the vehicles out of the roadway so traffic is able to get through.
Take pictures
Once you have called emergency responders, take as many pictures of the scene as you can. Take pictures of the other vehicles involved as well as pictures of your own. Try to get an image from as many views as possible. Take photos both from the direction you were traveling, as well as the direction of the other vehicle. You will want as many images as you can get both up close and from a distance of the scene. However, do not take any pictures of anyone who has been injured in the accident.
Talk to witnesses
Once you have taken all of the pictures you can, look for any witnesses who were able to see what happened. Ask them for their account of the accident and listen for specific details they have. Talk to as many people as possible, even if you don’t agree with what they have to say. You never know when someone will have seen something others missed or don’t recall. Make sure you ask for their contact information and when is the best time for them to be reached.
Contact your insurance company
Once everything has been completed at the scene of the accident and you arrive home, you will also need to contact your insurance company right away. You will want to make sure you have a copy of the accident report with you when you make the call. Also, be ready to provide them with all of the details you were given from witnesses to the accident, as well as their contact information and when the best time is to reach them.You should expect a claims adjuster to contact you from the insurance company in order to investigate the vehicle. This is something that has to happen in order to determine how much money is owed to you to pay for any damages that may have happened to your vehicle.
