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Your Post-Car Accident Action Plan: Where to Start & What to Do

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Being in a car accident can be a very scary prospect. 

You may have suffered physical injuries from the crash, which could bring steep costs in medical bills or have negative repercussions on your future productivity. 

In severe car accidents, you could also suffer from mental trauma due to seeing your own life flash before your eyes. 

You also will likely have to deal with the complicated intricacies of car insurance and liability, which can present the need for a lawyer and a legal battle.

With so many problems arising at once, it’s easy to become flustered and not know what to do. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to make sure that the days after a car accident go as smoothly as possible. Here’s where to start after a car accident.

Get Medical Attention

The first thing you should do after a car accident is seek help and medical attention. If it was only a minor accident, medical attention probably won't be necessary. However, you should still get a basic check-up just to be sure that you didn’t sustain any injuries. 

Major car accidents are when things can get especially challenging. In these accidents, injuries can range from mild to severe. Therefore, it is very important that you receive some kind of medical attention. 

First, check to make sure everyone involved in the accident is okay and that proper attention is given to those that are not. 

Car accidents add a lot of stress onto the plates of people involved, which is why it is extremely important that you mitigate physical injuries by receiving immediate medical help.

Gather Information

One of the most valuable things you can do after a car accident is to start gathering as much information as possible. 

Your health and safety should come first, but after all worries are put to rest, you should begin collecting information about the accident. 

You should know everything about the cars that were involved, including the make, model, and year. 

You should also know the names of all the drivers and passengers involved in the accident. Collecting driver’s license numbers and any eyewitness testimonies can also be a big help to you down the road. 

Finally, if police or emergency responders were called to the location, make sure that you speak with them to get their names and testimonials, as their input will be extremely valuable. 

You could be in for a long fight after your accident, and the information you collect will go a long way in protecting yourself and ensuring you get the best possible outcome.

File A Claim

After you have ensured everyone’s safety and collected enough information, you should begin the process of filing an insurance claim. 

After the accident, you should immediately notify your insurance agent and give them a detailed description of what transpired. 

Your insurance agent will likely advise you on what to do, and can tell you how you can get the claims process started. 

Your insurance will then work with you to the best of their ability in order to get your car repaired and your life back to normal. The full insurance claim process may take awhile, which makes it very important to get it started soon after the accident.

Hire A Lawyer

Your insurance and the other people involved in the accident will likely use lawyers and legal experts in order to mitigate their liability and the damages they have to pay. That’s why it is very important to hire your own lawyer in order to even the odds.

A lawyer will be able to help you recover the maximum amount of damages possible, ensuring that you don’t get ripped off or cheated during the claims process.

You should start looking for a lawyer immediately after the accident occurs. There are typically several quality car accident and personal injury lawyers in each area, meaning you shouldn’t struggle to find one.

For example, if you have a car accident in downtown Pittsburgh, then you should have little to no trouble finding a quality car accident lawyer in Pittsburgh. Protecting yourself after an accident is extremely important, so ensure that you have a lawyer ready in order to safeguard yourself from being cheated out of money.