What to do After a Car Accident

So you’ve gotten into a car accident. This stinks, I know. But, what do you do now?

1. Check Your Vehicle: Check yourself for injuries. Check any passengers for injuries. If anyone is injured, call an ambulance immediately. 
2. Evaluate the Damage: If your car can be moved, try to move it out of the flow of traffic. If it cannot, make sure that you are standing someplace safe nearby so that you can be on hand when help arrives. 
3. Swap Information: You need the other driver’s name, address, phone number, insurance company, policy number, driver’s license number and license plate number, to start. If the driver is not the owner of the vehicle or insurance policy, make sure to get the same information for the owner. 
4. Play it Smart: Do not allow yourself to get into arguments with the other driver. Do not apologize or say the accident was your fault. 
5. Snap it Up: Take pictures of all vehicles involved. This is for your protection and to help prevent fraud. 
6. File a Report: Inform the police of the incident. If they do not come to the scene, you can still file a report. This can help speed up the claim process. 
7. Stay on the Scene: Do not leave the scene of the accident until the police have arrived (or they’ve cleared you to leave via phone) or before you have all the information and photos you need. 
8. Contact Your Insurance Company: Get your claim started right away. Make sure that you are ready to provide them with all of the information and evidence you have at your disposal. 
9. Visit a Doctor: You may have initially felt just fine after your accident, but some injuries take longer to become apparent. You could have internal injuries. Make sure you’ve been checked out. 
10. Stay on Top of It: It can seem like there’s a lot of follow-up for your claim, for your police report, etc. All of it is important. Do not put off communication with anyone regarding the accident. You could cause delays in your claim.