That’s Not Your Fault:
Being involved in a traffic accident is a great inconvenience – and it is even more frustrating if it wasn’t your mistake. Then the entire procedure of determining the damage starts. In these situations, many of us overlook steps necessary to take so we can charge the settlement. Here are a few things you should know and do in that situation.
What to Do If You Had a Traffic Accident That Was Not Caused By You?
Imagine this situation. You went to work driving your car at a custom speed. You slow down in front of the traffic light, and everything seems normal – when suddenly, BAM! The other car is crashing into yours from behind. You already know that the damage to your car will be big, and maybe you got hurt – and all that wasn’t your fault. That is one of the typical situations that happen to drivers everywhere. The overpopulation of urban areas and an increasing number of cars make such and similar situations frequent. However, if something like this happens to you, the car accident attorney Calabasas advises you to be prepared in advance – and to react on time. You have to prove that a traffic accident has not occurred by mistake you made. So, you need to know what to do so you don’t end up with higher costs than those already caused. Here’s what you should do.
First, check if there are any injured people:
That is always the first and most important thing – especially if there were children in the vehicles. If you notice that you or someone from another vehicle is injured – call the ambulance immediately! In the case of minor injuries, you can help yourself – but it is still recommended to be checked by a doctor. The medical professionals will do the check-up and give an opinion of the level of injuries. According to the car accident attorney Calabasas, that can help you later when you start the procedure of collecting the settlement. Also, if possible, move vehicles from the road to avoid any additional damage or injuries.
As soon as you can – call the police:
That is extremely important to determine the factual situation as soon as possible. The police report will help you in a later procedure. Before the police get to the place of the accident, you can do some things by yourself without disturbing the traffic accident scene. You can note the information about your and the other vehicle involved in an accident. Also, car accident attorney Calabasas reminds you that you can take photos from multiple angles – without disturbing anything that could affect the evaluation of the circumstances under which the accident occurred.
Hire a lawyer for traffic accidents:
That is extremely important because such procedures are sometimes tiring – especially when you’re negotiating with insurance companies that are looking to pay a smaller amount for the settlement. In such situations, it is necessary to have professional legal assistance, so you shouldn’t overlook any detail.
Gather significant data:
Utilize your cellphone camera to take pictures of reports or, with pen and paper, get the name, address, telephone number and driver’s permit number of everybody engaged in the mishap. In the event that the driver’s name doesn’t coordinate with the vehicle’s enrollment or protection papers, determine the individual’s relationship to the vehicle’s proprietor.
Then, at that point, assemble all vehicle data including year, make and model, variety, tag number, and vehicle recognizable proof number. Get the insurance contract number and the organization’s telephone number, on the off chance that the other individual doesn’t report the mishap, Luna proposes. Check whether any observers will furnish you with contact data and insights regarding what they saw.
Never share your Government managed retirement number, as far as possible on your insurance contract or other individual data.
Report the scene:
Record however much insight concerning the mishap as could reasonably be expected utilizing your cell phone’s camera, video, and voice notice highlights, Luna prompts.
“Really take a look at the effect on the vehicle: Was it on the front side, driver’s side, or back? Most straightforward to do by snapping a picture of the whole vehicle and close-up photographs of the harms for both your vehicle and the other party.”
Record the date and season of the mishap, and photo or video the whole scene of the mishap, including slip imprints or property harm. Note road names and the course every vehicle was going both when the mishap.
“One thing that frequently gets missed is the place of the vehicles [relative] to the road. This is basic data since it helps the agent re-make the mishap when you report the case,” Luna says.
Sketch a chart of the accident scene. Utilizing the voice update application on your telephone, direct what occurred while the subtleties are still new in your brain. Incorporate data about the climate and permeability.
Keep away from side-of-the-road conversations about obligation:
A couple of years prior, Denise Schipani, 54, and her child were halted at a traffic signal close to her home in Huntington Station, New York, when a vehicle rammed into theirs from behind.
“We were jolted forward and I slowed down hard, halting similarly as I contacted the guard of the vehicle before me,” she says. “At that time, I had no clue about what occurred, and I was befuddled that there were little bits of dark stuff all around the secondary lounge. Turns out the back window had broken. We were shaking, yet nobody was harmed.”
Schipani put on her danger lights, twofold made sure that her child was alright, and called 911.
“Then, at that point, I moved toward the other driver. He attempted to pin wet leaves out and about, however, there were none,” she says. “Obviously, it was an instance of him advancing while diverted.”
Schipani accurately decided not to contend. Feelings can pursue high a fender bender, so in the event that you accept the other driver is debilitated or forceful, pay attention to your gut feelings, Luna prompts.
“Remain in your vehicle and don’t collaborate with the individual, in light of the fact that a police mediation may be important,” he says.
Call a tow truck if necessary:
Contingent upon how much harm your vehicle is supported, it might be towed to a crash fix focus, Luna says. Many individuals have engine club participation, and emergency aides are one of the advantages. The police might call a tow truck organization, and some vehicle makers offer driver-help programs, as well.
Try not to expect a tow truck that supernaturally appears at the accident is trustworthy; consistently check its certifications and bring down all contact data, Luna adds.
Call your insurance agency:
While it could be enticing to arrange a money arrangement to abstain from making a protection guarantee, not informing your insurance agency after an accident can leave you responsible for harm coming from the mishap.
Schipani’s protection specialist articulated her vehicle as 2a complete misfortune — the expense of potential fixes surpassed the vehicle’s worth. Then, she took in the driver who had hit her and had absolute bottom protection inclusion.
“They said it was feasible to attempt to remove cash from him, yet it would be better for them to deal with the case,” she says. “My recommendation is to never leave the scene — in any event, for a minor collision — without a police report, particularly on the off chance that it’s plainly and clearly not your shortcoming.”
In cases like Schipani’s, your protection claims proficiency can assist you with exploring your choices.
“In the event that the other individual’s insurance isn’t adequate to cover your harms, your protection expert can check your contract for any inclusion that could address that,” Luna says.
For instance, on the off chance that your insurance agency considers you were not to blame, it might have an obligation waiver so you don’t pay your deductible.
Take the super-advanced course:
Numerous safety net providers currently offer virtual devices, for example, a cell phone application to permit you to start the cases cycle on the web. Check your evidence of protection card for directions or call the complementary telephone number. Your insurance agency will request heaps of data about the mishap and may try and provoke you to utilize a far-off review device through your cell phone.
See your primary care physician:
You might feel totally fine just after a mishap, yet a few wounds become evident solely after a little while. You can support the serious head or spinal wounds from a minor effect, so visit your primary care physician on the off chance that you experience torment or strange side effects.
The Bottom Line:
Car accidents can be very frustrating, especially if they were not caused by your fault.
So, try to avoid any risky situation on the road. However, if it happens to you, knowing some of these things might help you deal with such a situation.
