Although you do everything you can to try to avoid them, sometimes a car crash is unavoidable. If you experience a car accident, it is vital that you understand what to do after the dust settles to ensure you don’t expose yourself to unnecessary liability or risk. After you make sure that everyone in your vehicle and the other vehicles involved is uninjured, here is what you need to do.
Call the Police
Any accident, no matter how small, has the potential to cause long-term effects. Unless you call the police, there will be no evidence of the accident that a Chicago car accident lawyer can use down the road. That’s why it’s crucial that the police come to the scene of the accident to fill out an accident report. Even if you don’t need the assistance of a Chicago car accident lawyer, your insurance company will require a police report in most cases should you choose to file a claim.
Don’t Admit Fault
If you’re the kind of person who apologizes for everything, it’s important to get slightly out-of-character in a car accident scenario. That’s because insurance companies require that you never admit fault after an accident. If you do, this severely limits what their legal team can accomplish, meaning that you’ll likely find yourself with a rejected claim should they discover that you admitted fault. The best course of action is simply to say as little as possible, exchanging only necessary information with the other party.
Obtain the Other Party’s Information
Whether or not it’s determined that the other party was at fault for the accident, you’ll want to be sure to obtain their personal and insurance information before you leave the scene of the accident. This will ensure that you’re able to leave all of the negotiating up to the insurance companies instead of making it a personal matter. Additionally, it will be nearly impossible to have your claim paid if you don’t know the other party’s insurance information.
If you experience a car accident, you can contact our trusted team at the Law Offices of Ivan Rueda & Associates or visit us online.
