Being a driver in the US means that you are part of a society in which there are over 273 million registered vehicles. This staggering number includes passenger cars, motorcycles, buses, trucks, among others. With approximately 6 million car accidents per year in the US, you should consider yourself extremely lucky if you have never experienced one in your life so far. More so, the car insurance industry estimations say that the average driver will eventually file a claim for a car crash every 17.9 years. That means that if you got your driving license at the age of 16, odds are that you are going to experience some kind of a car collision by the time you turn 34. Or over the course of a long natural drive span – every driver is supposed to take part in 3-4 car accidents.
With over 17 million licensed drivers, second only to California, and with over 313,000 miles of public roads – the Lone Star State is no exception when it comes to car accidents as there wasn’t a single day without at least one death caused by an accident in 2018. The Dallas/Fort Worth area accounted for 29% of the total car accidents in Texas the same year. Imagine it’s the last weekend of the State Fair of Texas and you and your friends piled up in the car, thinking of deep-fried peanut butter, jelly, and banana sandwiches. As you are getting closer to Fair Park, you are stuck in stop and go traffic, but the person behind you didn’t really get the memo on the stop portion. Just like that, you have just experienced a car accident. What do you do? Who do you call? What actions do you take? First of all, it’s very important to remain calm and focused as you will need to take the right steps in order to protect your health and financial interests as well. Here’s everything that you should do after you experience a car accident in the city of Dallas, TX.
Stop The Vehicle And Check For Injuries
Your health and the health of everyone involved comes second to none. Stop your car and immediately check yourself for injuries. If you can get out of your vehicle without any help, check everyone else involved in the car crash if they need any help.
Call 911 If Anyone Needs Help
If anyone in the process sustained an injury and needs help, call 911 as soon as possible. If you need to move an injured person out of their vehicle be extra cautions. While talking to the EMS, let them know about any injuries or fatalities you can observe, and be precise when describing the location of the crash. You can use the closest known address for instance or the mile marker of the road. Also, let them know of any potential hazards present on the collision scene that EMS should know before they arrive.
Deal With The Police
Once you made sure everybody is okay, it’s time to let the Police Department know of the car accident that occurred and let them do their part. Answer their questions honestly and follow their instructions. The police officers are authorized to secure the scene of the accident, arrange care and transport of the injured, request car-towing services for the vehicles involved, verify information of the involved parties, collect evidence and file a police crash report.
Also called the CR3 Peace Officer Report, the Police Crash Report is a short summary of the facts of the car accident scene based on the officer’s interviews and observations with the involved parties. Also, obtainable online, a Dallas Police accident report contains all the information about the accident such as the date, time and location of the accident; known injuries to people involved and extent of damage to the vehicles; identifying information for the parties involved and witnesses; a visual diagram of the car crash scene and information about the laws and codes that were violated.
Collect Information And Useful Evidence
Document pretty much everything that can help your case in the later stages. Just in case the other driver changes their story of the collision afterward, collect evidence and note all the information you could find useful. Also, take photos from a couple of different angles from the accident itself, the vehicles involved, and the registration plates.
Contact Your Insurance Company
The auto insurance policy that you own represents a contract between you and your insurance company. One of your obligations out of the contract is to notify the company as soon as you are able to after you experience a car accident, regardless of who caused it. This will help the company to provide greater protection for you if the other driver decides to file a claim against you. Delaying the notification of your insurer can have troublesome legal and financial consequences for you so take the initiative as quickly as possible.
Reach Out To A Car Accident Attorney
It is a lawyer’s best interest to protect your legal rights and get the maximum compensation you deserve if you have been a victim and injured due to a car accident. A free case evaluation from an expert car accident lawyer Philadelphia can share a clear picture of your case and answer all your questions. Hiring a lawyer can save your time and energy, they can manage all the legal proceedings and deal with your insurance claim while you are focusing on your quick recovery and getting your life on track.
In case the accident settlement falls short of your injuries and damages, or perhaps your insurance claim is denied – it’s in your finest interest to contact a proficient attorney specialized in auto accident causes from Dallas. Even for the initial consultation, bring along copies of the medical records and bills, a copy of the CR3 Peace Officer Report, collected evidence and photos, statements from nearby witnesses, and other relevant documentation related to the car accident. A skilled attorney will know about the power value of your claim and will let you know if they believe the claim may settle or if the claim may be tried in court.
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