You have watched the nightly news describe a pile up on a local interstate. The Internet never seems to stop covering stories that are about multiple vehicle accidents. Yet, you never thought it would happen to you, but it did happen, and you wonder if you handled the aftermath of the accident in the right way.
From running into another car that had stopped because of a vehicle accident right in front of it to having a vehicle side swipe your car because it was struck from behind by a third car, you should know about the top five things to do after an accident with multiple drivers.
Gather Evidence at the Scene
A vehicle accident involving multiple drivers will require the official account of the accident to be written down by a law enforcement official. Either you, a witness to the accident, or one of the drivers involved in the crash should contact the nearest police station for assistance.
The official police report represents the most convincing piece of evidence that you attach to an auto insurance claim. Remember to write down the names of all the officers responding to the accident, as well as each officer’s badge number.
Get Medical Attention
If you suffer from one or more serious injuries, what happens in the aftermath of a vehicle accident is not as important as getting you into an emergency medical vehicle for transport to the closest healthcare facility.
A car accident that does not require you to seek immediate medical attention does not mean you should not visit a physician after the crash. A huge part of an insurance claim is to account for any injuries suffered because of a multiple driver accident. Save every medical bill related to the accident and make copies of the bills for submission with your auto insurance claim.
Damage Done to Your Car
Eventually, you will have to take your car in for a detailed auto inspection performed by a certified mechanic. Check with your insurance carrier first to see if the company has a specific recommendation on where you should take your vehicle for an inspection.
An accident involving multiple drivers can cause a wide variety of damage to your car, from a compromised transmission to one or more side panels that have sustained dent and scratch damages. Organize every auto repair receipt, and then make copies of each receipt for attaching to your auto insurance claim.
Legal Help Makes a Difference
The car insurance claim process can tax the patience of the most patient policyholders. Between trying to decipher confusing legal language to having to wait weeks for a decision, you can feel like the claim process is going nowhere. By working with a state licensed personal injury attorney, the claim process will not only unfold in a timely manner, you can also expect your attorney to interact with the legal teams assembled by the other drivers involved in the accident.
Filing a Claim
Each state has issued guidelines for ensuring policyholders file auto insurance claims before the expiration of the statute of limitations. The expiration date for your insurance claim has two parts. First, there is a statute of limitations for filing a claim seeking compensation for personal injuries.
The expiration date for filing a claim to pay for auto repairs typically differs from the expiration date placed on personal injury claims.
Schedule a free initial consultation today with an experienced personal injury lawyer.
