It is like a slow motion play in football that increases the pain caused by the agony of defeat. A vehicle is moving toward your car and there is nothing you can do about it.
Whether poor weather conditions prevented the vehicle from making a stop before hitting you or the other driver was not paying attention at the time of the side impact accident, you need to know how to react after such a jolting accident.
You need to know the top 5 things to do after a side impact accident.
Collecting Evidence is the Key
A high-speed side impact accident can produce a large swath of debris, as well as shut down traffic on a busy road or highway. The first thing you should do after a die impact collision is contact a nearby police station.
Officers responding to your call will conduct an exhaustive investigation at the scene. They will collect evidence, such as picking up the debris and taking photographs of the tire marks. A formal police report sent to your insurance company will provide all the evidence you need to process an auto insurance claim in an efficient manner. Within the report should be the accounts provided by credible witnesses.
How to Handle Medical Bills and Records
Even if you feel fine after a side impact collision, you should schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider to ensure you leave the building with a clean bill of health. Some physical distress symptoms can take days to appear, which means a visit to your doctor should diagnosis any lingering physical injuries.
For example, migraine headaches can take several weeks to develop. Make sure to make copies of every medical bill and record to include with the paperwork you
submit to your auto insurance company.
Damage to Your Car
As the third thing to do after a side impact accident, taking your vehicle into a certified auto mechanic will help you recover monetary damages for repairing the vehicle. A side impact collision can cause a tremendous amount of money to fix the damage inflicted on the body of the car.
The collision might have been strong enough to total your vehicle. Whatever comes out of an auto repair job, save the receipts of every cost and then make copies of the receipts for attaching to the car insurance claim.
Speak with a Personal Injury Lawyer
The auto insurance claim process is full of potential potholes that can make the difference between having your claim approved or having it flat out denied. Going it alone against a powerful insurance company is not the way to proceed. By working with a highly rated personal injury attorney, you may receive legal advice that helps process your claim in a timely manner.
You lawyer will also determine whether the other driver is at fault and if he or she is at fault, decide on whether to file a civil lawsuit.
File a Claim
By now, you should have gathered enough evidence to submit a persuasive claim. Your personal injury lawyer will file the claim electronically to speed up processing. After you file your auto insurance claim, you and your attorney can consult about the possibility of filing a claim in a civil court. Schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer to learn about all your legal options.
