Summer is approaching in southern Illinois, and that means ROAD CONSTRUCTION. Speed traps, lane reductions, trucks moving on and off the roadway; all distractions, and out of the ordinary on your normal commute. With all this in mind, summer months also bring an increase in auto accidents.
The following will act as a checklist on what to do if you or a friend/family member get into a fender bender, or even a major incident while in a vehicle.
-Never Leave: Always pull over, get as much info from the other driver as possible (License/Insurance/Vehicle Plate). Take pictures of the scene, vehicles, witnesses, and damage.
-Protect Evidence: Prevent further distraction to other drivers by putting your flashers/hazards on. If you have flares or cones, set those up as well to avoid any other potential incidents.
-Contact emergency crews: If there are no injuries, contact police to review the scene and write a report. Have your information ready for the officer, and show the police any evidence you have collected while waiting for their arrival. If there were any injuries, contact 911 for faster response.
-Working with the officer on the report: When the police do begin to take down a report of the incident, be certain to relay all the facts you are aware of, due not speculate, simply stick to the facts of what occured. If you are unsure on your injury status, reply that you “are not sure,” as injuries can sometimes appear hours after an accident due to higher endorphin levels in the body during a period of stress, such as a car accident. Make sure statements made by other drivers are accurate as well to the best of your ability.
-Take Pictures: This section is in bold for a reason. In today’s modern age, everyone has a camera in their pocket. If there are no injuries that need attending to, immediately begin to document the scene. Take pictures of anything you see as relevant, panorama shots of the scene, closeups of damage, injuries if any, and anything you may deem as evidence of why the event occurred in the first place. Document everything you can think of, down to the day’s weather.
-Info exchange: As we mentioned previously, exchange info with other drivers, usually police will do this upon arrival, however you may be forced into action if police are not responding quickly. Make sure the other driver has valid insurance, and try to get a contact phone number for them. If you can speak with witnesses, and collect info from any witnesses present, that would be prudent if they are needed as a witness later.
-Report to insurance company: Contact your insurance company as soon as you can, relaying all the info you have from the police report as well as any other pertinent info you may have collected such as photos, witness names/contact info and vehicle occupants.
-Seeking Medical Attention if needed: Injuries incurred in auto accidents aren’t always evident immediately. Usually people can expect to feel pains or aches days after an auto accident; but if you notice discomfort of any kind, make sure to visit your Doctor or an ER. Minor impacts can cause lifelong pain, be sure to report any pains following an auto accident. Med-pay is part of your auto insurance, and will cover injuries sustained in a wreck, to an extent.
-Keep Documents: Keep everything! Every receipt, the clothes you wore that day, chunks of your car, every picture you took to document the scene. Keep it all! Begin a file, use this to stay organized. Insurance companies try their best to get out of paying for things like repairs and medical bills, so make sure you have everything possible to make your case easier to prove.
-Know your rights: After completing the above list and steps, contact our firm. Attorneys can help you make a statement to the insurance company involved. You want to be fully compensated for damages and injuries, always. Recovery from injuries sometimes can take time and rehabilitation, your attorney will be there for you to help ensure you are treated fairly, and can recover fully, medically as well as financially.
There is never a favorable outcome to an auto accident, but you can do your best to be prepared for any outcome by being diligent. Collecting documents, all available evidence, as well as any medical or repair bills, will ensure that you did your part. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact our offices for more info. We are always glad to help, and offer free consultations at either of our offices in Benton or Carmi.
