Everyone loves the holidays because they get to spend time with their loved ones, eat lots of food and drink out of glasses that are way too big. But then the day after Christmas comes along and it’s back to reality.
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When you have a truck accident in December, this can be even worse than usual since many people are on vacation or traveling for holiday visits. If you have been in an accident during your travels there are a few things that you should do immediately.
1) Stop, Protect the Scene and Seek Medical Attention
Even if you feel okay after a truck accident, it is important to stop and seek medical attention immediately. Sometimes a car accident can cause a more serious injury than you may know about right away. If for example your back or neck hurts, the muscles supporting these areas can be severely damaged without you even knowing it. According to an Ann Arbor semi-trailer truck accident attorney, some injuries could prevent you from “returning to your job [leaving you wondering] how you’ll pay your medical bills and support your family” afterward. So make sure to get medical attention right away to make sure you get the proper care.
2) Contact The Police
If you are in a serious accident it is important to get police, fire crews, and an ambulance to the scene right away. If you don’t have access to one of these services, contact someone who can get them there for you immediately. Getting medical attention for everyone involved in the accident is important because they can come to a scene with the necessary equipment for determining who is injured and how bad.
3) Document the Accident With Pictures And Video
In order to determine liability in an accident, your insurance company will need as much information as possible from the scene of the accident. This includes any photos or videos that you can take at the time of the accident. Even if you aren’t able to take pictures of the actual scene, you may be able to take photos of your vehicle that can help your insurance company determine what happened at the time of the accident.
4) Exchange Information and Gather Witness Testimonials
It is important to exchange information with the other person involved in your accident. This includes:
- Their full name and address
- Contact phone numbers (home, cell, and work)
- Insurance company’s full contact information (phone number and email)
If you were not able to speak with the other person immediately after the accident, it is important that you attempt to speak with them as soon as possible after the accident.
Witness testimonies at an accident scene are very important because they can help determine who is at fault for the accident. If there are any people around, ask them to get involved with your insurance claim by providing their testimonies of what happened. Even if they don’t want to talk to you about the accident, get their contact information so that your insurance company can get in touch with them later. This is especially important if they witnessed the accident and can testify on your behalf. Get their information also including:
- Their full name and address
- Contact phone numbers (home, cell, and work)
- What they witnessed regarding this accident
- Their phone number, address, and insurance company
5) Get Your Insurance Company Involved as Soon as Possible
One of the biggest things that you should do after an accident is contact your car insurance company right away. They will be able to send out a representative to meet with you at the scene of the accident, provide necessary medical attention and answer any questions you have. They will also be able to take control of the situation and work with your insurance company to make sure that your car accident claim is taken care of as quickly as possible.
6) Never Admit Fault
Even if you feel like another driver was 100% at fault, it’s important to never say anything that could make you look like you were even slightly at fault. It is a traumatic experience, but this is not the time to say “it’s ok, I was just as much to blame as you were”, or something along those lines. While you may think this is the right thing to do, it can actually make your insurance claim much more complicated and even cost you money in the future. If you admit fault and then your insurance company finds otherwise later on, they will not pay for any of the damages that you’ve incurred as a result of someone else’s actions.
If you have been involved in a truck accident, it is important to follow these 6 steps to ensure that your car accident claim gets filed correctly and with the insurance company of your choice. Truck accidents can be extremely traumatic for everyone involved and following these 6 steps will help you get everything that you deserve after an accident like this.