What To Do After Being in a Car Accident
There are over six million car accidents every year in the United States.
Luckily for us, most of them are minor and only involve property damage without major injury to the occupants of the vehicles.
However, about a third of accidents will involve personal injuries to the drivers or the passengers.
Of those accidents, about 20% lead to fatal injuries.
Car accidents are obviously very stressful events for everyone involved, but a Nashville Car Accident Chiropractor can help you.
You should know what to do after an accident if you are ever involved in one.
And, statistics show that you will likely be involved in one.
The article below will provide a basis for what you should do and the steps you should follow after a car accident.
Stop, Protect The Scene, Call The Police
The first thing you should do after an accident is fairly obvious; you need to stop.
Never drive away from the scene of an accident, even if it's minor.
Pull off to the side of the road, and if you can't, set up flares or keep your flashers on if you don't have flares.
The vehicles involved in the accident should remain where they are unless they're in the way of traffic.
If it's dark and your lights were damaged in the accident, grab a flashlight to keep you safe while you wait on the side of the road.
And you should always call the police, even if there are no serious injuries, or the other parties don't want you to.
A police report will be essential if you need to file a claim with your insurance company, even if it's just a claim for minor vehicle damage.
Ensure Everyone's Safety
If you've been seriously injured, stay where you are, try not to move, and wait for emergency services.
If you haven't been seriously injured, check on the passengers in your car as well as the others involved in the accident.
If anyone is seriously hurt, call 911 if someone else hasn't already.
If anyone involved in the crash seems to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, tell that to the 911 dispatcher when you call them.
Again, you should always call the police, no matter the extent of damage or injuries in the accident.
Many insurance companies won't cover an accident unless you've obtained a police report.
Once everyone is safe and out of harm's way, it's time to gather information.
Collect Information
If your accident was caused by someone else and you want to be compensated for your damages, this is a crucial step.
You need to collect as much information as you can about the accident.
Start by collecting information from the other people involved in the accident.
Get information like :
Names and contact information from the involved parties.
Vehicle descriptions
Driver's license numbers
License plates
Insurance information and policy numbers.
Names and contact information of eyewitnesses
The address or location of the accident scene.
The name and badge number of the responding police officers
You also need to take as many photos as you can of the scene of the accident with your cell phone.
Take pictures of the vehicles if there is visible damage, and if you have visible injuries, take pictures of them as well.
Just be sure not to interfere with an on-going police investigation.
Limit Your Conversations
When talking about the accident, even to the police, it's important to limit your discussion and not admit any fault or liability.
Answer the questions the police ask you honestly but don't say more than you have to.
And only speak about your accident with the police, medical professionals, and your personal injury attorney.
And never sign a document unless it's for the police or your insurance agent.
And even then, never sign something from your insurance agent without first speaking with your car accident attorney.
Report The Accident
Notify the involved insurance companies as soon as possible, but it's a good idea to speak to your attorney first.
Many insurance policies require immediate reporting and full cooperation but don't tell them any more than you have to.
Find out what kind of coverages and benefits you have on your plan, like medical benefits or personal injury protection.
You might pay extra for these coverages, like medpay, so you should use them.
If you do have medpay, you'll need to submit any accident-related medical bills to your insurance company.
Once your medpay benefits are exhausted, your private health insurance becomes your primary insurer.
Medpay benefits are available to all the occupants of the vehicle and your rates shouldn't increase as a result of submitting a claim for medpay coverage.
Speak To An Attorney
One of the most important things you can do after a car accident to protect your rights is speak to an attorney.
Your attorney knows how to preserve your rights after an accident, and they will be sure all valuable evidence is collected and used to your advantage.
Like we mentioned earlier, your insurance company will want a statement very soon after your accident.
You need to receive legal advice from an experienced attorney before making this statement.
Your attorney will make sure you don't say anything that can hurt your claim. They will advise you on matters that will ensure that the insurance companies fully compensate you for your property damages and medical expenses.
And, you don't have to worry about the cost of your personal injury attorney because they work on a contingency fee basis.
That means you don't pay a fee unless your attorney recovers compensation for your damages.
And it's important to keep in mind that every state has a statute of limitations which is a deadline for making personal injury claims, and it will apply as soon as you know you're injured.
You have limited time to settle your claim, and once that time is up, you lose your right to file a lawsuit.
Your insurance company is under no obligation to help you settle your case before that deadline, so it's imperative to contact an injury lawyer that will protect your claim.
Seek Medical Attention
Injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents aren't always immediately apparent.
Many accident victims don't feel pain at the scene of the accident but start experiencing pain hours, days, or even weeks later.
There's no way to be absolutely certain you weren't injured in an accident without seeing a medical professional, so you should seek medical attention as soon as you can to rule out any injuries.
Even in low-speed collisions or minor fender benders, it's still possible to sustain a severe and sometimes permanent injury to your spinal cord.
If you lost consciousness at any point after the accident, you might have a concussion or traumatic brain injury.
If left untreated, these injuries can haunt you for the rest of your life.
Visit A Car Accident Chiropractor
Chiropractic treatments are extremely beneficial after car accidents because they can bring your spine back into alignment after suffering whiplash or any other accident-related injury.
Chiropractic care can also strengthen insurance claims.
By choosing to see a chiropractor after your accident, you have the potential to minimize pain throughout your entire body because spinal manipulations release pain-relieving hormones.
A chiropractic adjustment can also restore your range of motion by returning your joints to their proper alignment and by mobilizing your spine.
Chiropractic treatments are also non-invasive, and they don't require the use of addictive pain medications or invasive surgeries.
Seeing a chiropractor soon after your accident could eliminate the need for surgery in the future altogether.
Contact Advanced Injury Care Clinic
Car accidents can leave even the most experienced drivers feeling frazzled, but following the steps in the article above can help protect you from any unnecessary worries.
There are many things you need to do after a car accident, but receiving the medical care you need is by far the most important.
Chiropractic care is excellent for treating whiplash and other accident injuries.
The chiropractors with Advanced Injury Care can diagnose and treat your injuries right away, so you can make a full recovery as quickly as possible.
They can also submit your medical records and bills to your insurance company.
And, if you were involved in an accident that wasn't your fault, they can refer you to an experienced personal injury attorney that will help you get the compensation you deserve.
If you're ready to start your road to recovery, contact AICC today by clicking the button below.