It’s been a long day, and you’re feeling tired. You decide to take the back way home because it will be easier. As your car is cruising down the highway, suddenly something comes out of nowhere! Your car slams into it at full speed. The next morning, you wake up with a headache, sore neck, and wrists that feel like they are on fire. You look over to your other half, who is still sound asleep, and try to get up quietly so as not to disturb them, but when you stand up, all of your muscles scream in pain! What do you do?
Sounds familiar? This is the story of so many motorists. Instead of taking measures at the scene of the accident, they wait until something is apparently wrong before they do something about it.
Don’t let this be you. Here are some steps you should take right after you’ve been in a car crash.
Steps You Should Take After A Car Accident
It is best to take care of things immediately after you’ve been in a car crash. This will save you from trouble in the long run. You don’t want to wait, as getting information after a car accident has happened more than a few days prior can prove very difficult. You may also need to bring your car to a collision center or an auto collision repair shop to fix the damages immediately.
Ensure that you follow these steps to make sure that you’re covered after a car crash.
Call The Police
The first thing you should do after a car accident is to call the police. The law states that if there are any injuries or property damage, then one of the involved parties must notify authorities before leaving the scene.
If no injuries were sustained and only some minor scratches on both vehicles, this may be an unnecessary step, but it is still important to call the police. You never know when an officer may show up and disagree with your actions or you might forget some details that could be crucial later on in the proceedings.
If no injuries were sustained, but the damage was done to either vehicle, it is still best to call the police so they can record where the vehicles are located as well as verify who the drivers are.
Move Your Vehicle If Possible
If you believe that the collision did not cause any injuries or property damage, then it is likely best to move your vehicle off of the highway if possible.
This will allow traffic to flow as normal and prevent anyone from being injured by a stationary car on the side of the road. If this isn’t possible, don’t worry! In most cases, the police will instruct you to move your car off of a roadway even if it looks like there is no damage.
If any injuries were sustained during the crash or property damage occurred, then do not move your vehicle and wait for assistance from law enforcement personnel.
This should be done with caution, as many motorists get in an accident on the way to the scene of a previous accident.
Take Pictures
The next thing to do is take pictures of the scene from different angles. If possible, try to get photos of any injuries you or others sustained during the crash, as well as images that display what happened before and after the collision.
This will help with documenting your case in court if necessary.
Get Medical Attention Immediately
In most cases, it is important to see a doctor or chiropractor as soon as possible. This can be done at the nearest hospital emergency room if you are in serious pain and have any fear of long-term injury due to your collision.
If your pain isn’t too intense, then it is best to see a chiropractor as soon as possible. This will not only help with the pain you’re feeling today but also prevent injuries from worsening in the future due to improper alignment of muscles and joints that were moved out of place during the collision.
Call Your Insurance Company
Lastly, call your insurance company to notify them of the incident.
This is something you should do even if no one was injured or property damage occurred. Doing so will give you access to necessary services such as rental car agencies that can provide a vehicle at an affordable price for those who have been involved in a collision and need transportation, but do not have one available.
In the event of a car accident, it is important to call the police and take pictures. You should also get medical attention if needed. If there are no injuries or property damage, then you can move your vehicle off of the road so that traffic may flow as normal. Lastly, make sure to notify your insurance company about what happened in case any services need access, such as rental cars for those who have been involved in an accident with their own vehicles but do not have one available at this time. Above all, try your best to remain calm as you go through these steps.