Over a hundred thousand and a half motor vehicle accidents occur every year in Canada. Luckily, most of these accidents are non-fatal and only involve property damage. However, if a motor vehicle accident occurs, you can claim accident benefits from your insurance company and a tort claim against the person responsible for your injury.
Most people panic after a vehicle accident. They do something quite the opposite of things they should do. These actions could jeopardize their claim. After an accident, you must prioritize your safety and interests. There are some simple ways to do that. So, without further ado, let’s discuss the things you should do after a car accident.
Stop Your Vehicle
Whether the accident is minor or significant, don’t drive away from the scene. It’s the first rule to follow. Most people drive away with car damage and injury out of panic. It’s the worst move if you want a claim.
Preserve The Scene
Well, it’s not up to you to protect the scene. But you must try your best until the police arrive. If you have a severe injury, then forget about everything. Try to seek medical attention as early as possible.
If help is not available, try to stay calm. If it’s dark, turn your flashlight on to seek attention. Meanwhile, you should call your family, relatives, or friends for help.
Call The Cops
If the injury is not too severe, you should call the police. If you want to claim an accident benefit from your insurance company, you may need a police report. Don’t move your vehicle from the accident scene until the police come.
Give an Accurate Statement
After the police arrive at the scene, try to give them an accurate statement. Tell them exactly what happened. Don’t exaggerate anything in your comment. If you libel, you may face a civil litigation case instead of winning a compensation claim. If your friends or acquaintances are with you in the vehicle, tell them to do the same.
Click Some Photos
There is no harm in using modern technology in your favor. We almost all have smartphones with us. So you can take a quick photo of the scene after the accident. It might be valuable information for your claim. If you are injured, frame it too. Try to take the picture before the cops come to the scene. Once the police arrive, taking photographs could be considered as interfering with their investigation.
Exchange Information
Usually, this is the job of the investigation officers. But, if they don’t come into the scene at the right time, you can do a bit of investigation by yourself. These are the pieces of information that you should obtain-
- Name, address, and phone number of everyone involved in the accident.
- Insurance information on the other driver.
- If there are eyewitnesses, try to collect their names and addresses too.
- If the other vehicles are running away, at least try to write down their car’s registration number.
Get Medical Help
If the injury is severe, then this should be your first priority. Even if the damage is minor, you still need to seek medical attention. Most car injuries involve concussion. So if you even feel okay, you may still be in danger. It’s pretty obvious that for an injury claim, you will need a medical report of your injury.
Report Your Accident
Report your insurance company as soon as the accident happens. Determine what kind of benefits you are going to get. If you are injured, then you may get compensation for your medical bills. And if your car gets damaged, then you may get collision coverage.
Document Everything
Keep all your accident-related documents into a single file. It’s more important than you think. If you keep things together, then it will be easy for you to make a claim to your insurance company.
Know Your Rights
Many people can’t claim their accident benefits just because they are unaware of their rights in this particular area. Know your rights before making a move. You should also consult a personal injury lawyer before making a claim.
The Bottom line
You can get your benefits right if you know what to do and what not to do after an accident. We are now living in an era of social media. So, if you want to make a claim, you should also know how to use social media after an accident. It would be best if you also were careful about giving your statement to the investigation officers.
If you think you need any advice regarding personal injury, feel free to contact us. We have some of the best lawyers to deal with motor vehicle accident Alberta.
