Steps to Take After an Accident

Road accidents have devastating effects on both passengers and drivers. The recovery process involves paying expensive hospital bills as well as emotional and physical pain.

Accident victims are often confused about the necessary course of action after an accident, when to file a claim, and whose insurance will cover the damages. Below is an outline of a suggested plan of action.

Seek Medical Attention

The first step is to seek immediate medical attention. Getting checked out in a hospital is crucial even if you are not in pain. This guarantees your physical and mental well-being, as some trauma symptoms may take time to show symptoms.

While seeking medical attention, make sure to attend all doctor appointments and carry out all the recommended tests. Missing out on some appointments may imply that you were not as injured as you claim.

Finally, collect all documents that serve as proof of your injuries. Photos of injured body parts, along with medical scans, tests, reports, and bills, should be kept safe. Similarly, ensure you have the contact information of the involved party’s insurance company and any photos and videos of the accident scene.

Filing an Injury Claim

Once the party at fault is identified, you can file a personal injury claim. This is done by calling the insurance company of the party responsible for the accident.

Starting the lawsuit as soon as possible is essential since making a claim has a limited time frame.

File a Claim With Fault Driver’s Insurance

This may be helpful if the party at fault has insurance coverage. At times, this insurance covers both injury and vehicle damage.

However, this process can be strenuous as it may be challenging to identify the driver responsible for the accident. When it is impossible to identify the party liable for the damages, the insurance company may decide to cover half of the expenses.

File a Claim With Your Driver’s Insurance

You can still use your insurance company even if you are not at fault. Medical payment coverage (MedPay) often pays for hospital bills for all the involved passengers.

File a Claim With Personal Insurance

Unfortunately, there are times when the driver does not have insurance coverage. In such instances, you may resort to using your personal injury protection policy. Additionally, health insurance may cover medical bills even if you were not in your vehicle during the accident.

What if Loved Ones Are Responsible for the Accident?

It is difficult to file a claim against a driver at fault, especially if you are closely related to them. While it is normal to feel guilty or uncomfortable filing a claim, it is your right to obtain compensation.

It is helpful to remember that your friend or family member is not paying for the damages from their earnings, but their insurance company is. Moreover, if you decide to take the issue to court, you will be filing lawsuits against the insurance company.

Getting a Car Accident Lawyer

Filing a lawsuit can be difficult, especially if you do not seek the guidance of a lawyer. They are knowledgeable in settling negotiations between you and the conflicting parties.

Car accident lawyers help to ensure you receive the proper compensation for any physical, economic, or emotional damages. Consequently, they also protect you from low payouts as they calculate the estimated amount of money lost.

“Car accident lawyers can also help by protecting you from low payouts from the insurance company and can calculate the net amount a person could receive from the settlement,” says car accident attorney Ronny Hulsey.

Paul Petersen