Sometimes you may be involved in an accident but it was not your fault. It can be a challenging situation, but there are several steps you need to take so that you will ensure your rights are protected. There are many motorists on the road and few of them observe traffic rules. This is why you shroud be prepared and know your rights so that you will void any form of exploitation if by any means you are exposed to an accident which was not your fault. First, you need to take necessary steps and collect evidence then inform all necessary authorities. If there is someone who has been injured in the accident, ensure you carry out first aid and seek medical attention immediately.
Call the police
Many states will require you to call the police if you have been involved in an accident where someone has been injured. You will as well have to call the police if there is damage to property of more than given set limit. Some states will require you to report damage to your car of over $500 others will allow you to call the police if you have been involved in an accident where your car has incurred damage of more than $1,000. Although there are limits to when you should call the police, always make an effort and call them if you consider your car has been damaged. This is necessary because if you are not an expert it can be very hard for you to estimate the damage which has been caused to your car due to the accident.
Be honest with the police
It is always necessary for you to inform the police of exactly what happened. If there are witnesses in your car or on the streets, just ask them to let you know what has just happened. This is necessary because in some incidences you may end up forgetting about what may have happened due to panic which you will be exposed to. Always give the correct account of what happened for you to avoid cases where you will be charged wrongly of violating road rules or even being fine where you will have to pay for damages caused to the other road users. Remember even if you were not on the wrong, the other party may argue against you. This will be a tricky case if you will not piece all the evidence together to have the police record the right statement.
Don’t admit fault
Avoid admitting fault after an accident. For example, you may not be the one at the wrong but due to your instincts you end up offering an apology to the other driver. If you were not on the wrong, the other driver will use your apology as a show of remorse of what you did wrong. This can be constructed to make you appear as if you were on the wrong. This in effect will lead you to having a case to answer even if you did absolutely nothing wrong during the accident.
Listen to what the other driver says
If the other driver is wise, he will not admit guilt. However, gilt may take over and he or she ends up admitting. If the driver will admit, then you can inform the police and your insurance company later. This is necessary for you to be protected from paying excessive insurance and repairs later.
Contact your insurance company ASAP
After filling a report with the police, the next step you should take is to call your insurance company immediately. There are some insurance companies which have provisions where you will have to incur more cost if you will not report the accident immediately. In order to avoid cases where you will be on the wrong side of the law, which will work against you, just make an effort of reporting the accident as soon as it happens. If you need any legal help, just contact the best car accident lawyers who will represent you in the court of law so that you will be compensated accordingly. Take your time and choose the best lawyers who will offer you great services.
