Tips for Dealing with a Car Accident

There are a few things everyone learns about dealing with car accidents before they get a driver's license. Stop and check everyone out, because failing to do so is a crime. Call 911 for medical assistance. Render first aid as best you can, if it is necessary. However, that's not everything you can or should do. Here are our top tips for dealing with a car accident.

Document Everything - Including the Obvious

You may have heard advice to take pictures of your car and the other person's insurance card. Taking pictures of your car proves the degree of damage that occurred at the scene. Taking a picture of their insurance card ensures that you don't accidentally write down their insurance policy number. However, you should document everything you can about the scene. What are the road conditions like? That may have contributed to the accident. Who is standing around watching? They may be invaluable witnesses at a later date? Take pictures of their car, so that you can prove both the severity of damage to their vehicle and track down the owner if they gave you a fake insurance card.

Don't Do Anything to Admit Responsibility

You can empathize with someone's frustration or vent your own. However, you should avoid apologizing or making excuses. This could be taken as a sign of guilt and used to pin the blame on you later. Simply saying, "No, I'm at fault, too" could shift the equation. Then the other person doesn't owe 100 percent of the damages. Never offer anyone money in the hope that you'll avoid an insurance claim.

If In Doubt, Admit You Don't Know

If you don't know the answer, admit that you don't know. This is especially true if you're being interviewed for the accident report by a police officer. If you have minor aches and pains, don't brush it off and say you're fine. Say, "I don't know" or "I'm not certain" if they ask if you're hurt. If you say you're fine, the other party's insurance can reject any subsequent claims for accident related medical bills. Don't assume you're fine, either. Get checked out by a doctor, though this doesn't necessarily require you to go to the Emergency Room right after the accident. Don't say that your car is fine. Have it checked out by a mechanic.

However, you must always be honest with the police. If you lie at any point, you could be arrested for having done so. It can also lead to police investigating you more heavily instead of the accident itself. If you don't know what the speed limit is, admit that you don't know instead of denying that you were speeding.

Don't Be Afraid to Seek Legal Advice

Don't be afraid to seek legal advice, whether you were speeding when the accident happened or hit by an uninsured driver. It may cost you more in the long run to not get an expert legal opinion, whether you're fighting the insurance company or headed to court. Be polite and honest with police. You can hire a car accident attorney later to fight any accident-related ticket.