Have you ever been in a car accident? If you answered “Yes”, you are probably aware of the importance of documenting the accident and take notes for insurance claim purposes. Insurance is very important for drivers because you never really know when a car accident will happen, so you need financial protection. This is why you should always keep your car insurance coverage and personal injury insurance coverage up to date.
Let us see why you should document a car accident right after the collision.
Reasons For Taking Notes About A Car Accident
- You need to take notes right after the collision happens so that the details of what occurred are still fresh in your mind. You should also take a clear picture of the impact area with your phone as proof of the extent of the damage. You should get the name of the other driver, and contact details of his car insurance provider so that your own car insurance company can contact them should you file a claim. Take a photo of the other driver’s face for the benefit of your insurance company too.
- You should take notes after a car accident because you want the insurance company to understand who was at fault when the collision happened. If your car was damaged by the other vehicle, car insurance becomes a priority so that you can have your car repaired after your insurance claim has been settled. If you are unsure about what to do after you’ve taken down notes, you may need a car accident lawyer to guide you.
- You will need to note down the presence of witnesses if there were people around in the area at the time of the accident. Take down their names and ask if they clearly saw the accident occur. Get their contact details, such as their mobile phone number and home address, because the police and your car insurance company will ask for that. You may also ask them if you can take photos of their ID cards which show their faces, just in case that will be sought for by the police and insurance company.
- Your notes about the car accident will also be useful once the police have been called in to investigate the collision. They will do their own investigation, then refer to your notes before they can create a report about the incident. The police report is vital when you need to file an insurance claim too.
- In addition, you should document the car collision in case the driver who was at fault has broken some other laws. For example, the other driver could have been driving too fast which is why he wasn’t able to step on the brake in time to avoid you. He may have run a red light at an intersection. He could be driving without a driver’s license, which is common among underage drivers. The car he was driving could be stolen goods. And he may also have gotten into a collision with a different car than yours, before he hit your vehicle. Your notes will help the police understand the reason(s) why the other driver collided with your car.
- If your car was recently purchased or you are still making payments for it, you may have to provide details of the accident to the auto dealership along with photos of the collision impact area on both vehicles.
- Your notes about the car accident may also be useful for your personal injury insurance claim. You need to be clear about what personal injuries you suffered due to the accident so that your claim will be easily approved. Make sure you provide the police report to the personal injury insurer as well, to facilitate your claim. To ensure you get your personal injury claim processed, you should visit a hospital emergency room right after the accident to get yourself examined by a doctor — the medical report is especially important for those with severe bodily injuries.
Other Important Things to Do After a Car Accident
1. Provide Accurate Information
A car accident can be a shocking experience. Regardless of your situation, providing accurate information to the police authorities is important. The police officers will ask you some questions, and it’s important to tell them the exact details without making assumptions.
The police authorities will also ask you to narrate the incident. If you’re uncertain of the details, inform them that you’re not ready to give a statement because of your condition. Instead, call a car accident lawyer from the Stephens Law Firm to help you.
2. Gather Evidence
Take pictures of the accident scene using your smartphone or camera, most especially your physical injuries, traffic signals, all damaged vehicles, and other pieces of evidence to help prove your claim.
3. Seek Immediate Medical Attention
If you only have minor injuries, it’s crucial to seek medical consultation even. Insurance companies would require proof of evidence in order to pay the right amount of compensation for your claim that you truly deserve.
It’s also important to obtain the name, address, contact numbers, as well as the name of the insurance company of the other driver or other people involved for claims purposes. All possible evidence should be gathered to strengthen your claim.
4. Call the Insurance Company
One thing you have to remember is that a personal injury claim has governing statutes of limitations, which depend on the state of the car accident. Talk to a car accident lawyer to make sure you’ll comply with the state’s personal injury law.
A personal injury attorney is an expert negotiator, and if ever you or your loved one is involved in a fatal car accident, it’s vital to hire a personal injury lawyer to negotiate with the insurance company to provide a fair amount of compensation for all of your damages.
Final Thoughts
If the car accident seems to have caused a lot of damage to your vehicle, you may need to ask your car insurance company for assistance in having your vehicle towed after the police have done their part. You may have to flag down a taxi or hire a rental vehicle since the damage to your car would mean that it cannot be driven. And you should instruct the taxi driver to bring you to the nearest hospital emergency room to have yourself examined, in case you were injured during the collision. These steps become necessary so that you can file your auto insurance claim and possibly your personal injury insurance claim at the same time as well.
