If you are on the road, you are likely to indulge in a car accident now or then. Even the safest drivers can get in a terrible accident. It is very important to prepare yourself mentally to face such situations.
If you get hurt in the accident you can take help from a professional Personal Injury Lawyer to get your claims. But before that, you need to know the necessary steps taken right after you get into a car accident.
Take note of the following steps which you must follow after a Motor Vehicle Accident.
1.Try to Stay Calm
The first and very important step is to stay calm after the accident. We know, it’s not that easy but you have to try your best. Never run from the accident spot, stop your car right away. Don’t say sorry, don’t blame the other person too. Take a few deep breaths and focus on the details of the situation.
2.Collect Evidence and Take Photographs
When you feel okay, come out of your car and click photographs of the car and accident scene. Also, take photos of the injuries involved. Notice every single detail of the accident properly. This will help to determine the at-fault driver and is very important if you have to claim insurance. Keep an accurate record of what happened before leaving the accident scene.If you are seriously injured try to ask for help to collect the information. Do write down the license plate number, model and color of the vehicles involved in the accident. Also, note the time of the accident, road condition, weather condition etc. for further need.
3.Call Police if Needed
In minor accidents, it is not necessary to involve the police but under some circumstances, it is crucial to report your accident to the police. Rough guidelines, when to call the Police-
-In Ontario, you must report the accident if any of the cars involved in the accident exceeds $2000 in collective damage.
-If there are some serious injuries involved in the accident, call 911. The operator may suggest if you need police at the scene or not and will send medical help right away.
-If you find the other driver involved is intoxicated and causing some problems.
It is always advised to take help from the Police and never settle on your own. There are lots of things involved in an accident and everything is not in your hands at that moment. Still, if you don’t want to refer to the police, make sure to get proper information about the car and the driver involved.
4.Seek Medical Help
In case of very serious injuries, call 911 immediately for medical assistance. The injuries could be to you or your passengers but even if the other party is injured call for help out of empathy.
If you do not feel any serious injuries right away still you need to go to the doctor for a proper examination because certain injuries like brain trauma may not be instantly observed. Even after the immediate checkup, everything seems fine, you must have follow-up appointments as suggested by the physician. Keep track of all the pains and discomfort, it may also help you in creating a personal injury case.
5. Report to Your Insurer
Ontario has a no-fault insurance system and you deal with the at-fault driver’s insurance. But if you need to claim for your loss, call the insurance company within 7 days of the accident. Your insurance company will require some information from your end and will also investigate on their behalf. Provide all the important evidence and information about the accident to get a hassle-free claim. Otherwise, insurance companies always find a way to make you partly at fault and you would not be able to get your desired amount.
6.Contact Personal Injury Lawyers
This step is very important if you have a problem with any of the above steps. When you call for a Personal Injury lawyer, ask for a Car Accident Lawyer as they are the specialists in their job. The lawyer will work to protect your rights and will deal with the insurance companies too. The main job of these lawyers is to exclusively work for your best interest.
If the at-fault party is refusing to cooperate then the Car Accident lawyer will help you to pursue a claim against them. There are some limitations to pursuing a claim after a certain time frame so it is always advised to hire the best personal injury attorney as soon as possible to get the maximum benefit.
Kalsi and Associates provide you with the best team of Personal Injury lawyers with a free consultation. If you want some legal advice related to car accident injury, slip and fall, or motor vehicle accidents near Ontario then call us at 1-(844)-90-LAWYER or apply for online consultation.