In our previous posts we talked about how to determine the at fault party in a car accident and what information / proof can be used. We will continue focusing on the remainder of the process, who to contact and how to file a claim.

Who should you contact after a car accident?

Immediately following a car accident, you should contact first and foremost 911. The emergency services will then dispatch the police and ambulance to the scene.

The dispatcher will ask you a series of questions and you should answer them as accurately as possible and remain calm.

Once the police arrive at the scene, make sure that you’re accommodating and helpful as much as you can. The job of the officer is to help you and it might take him some time to get through all the steps that were in the collision. You will also need to provide your license, vehicle registration and insurance card. And don’t forget to ask for a copy of the police report. Remember, we mentioned that the report can be of huge help when determining who’s at fault.

Once you’re done with the police, you should contact your insurance company. Under the terms of your insurance policy, you are obligated to report the accident even if you’re 100% that the other driver’s at fault.

Contacting the insurance company doesn’t mean giving detailed information on the accident, whose fault it is and what happened. You need to be aware that the insurance company is gathering information for one reason only, to try and find a way to justify not paying you.

Because of this, we strongly recommend that you don’t share any more information than you absolutely have to. You might not be aware, but you can tell the insurance company something which can costly you later in the process. That’s why when dealing with the insurance company you should always do it with a lawyer.

When dealing with car accident claims, we strongly recommend that you hire a personal injury lawyer. The process of negotiating with the insurance company and filing the claim can be pretty technical and you will need help from experienced attorneys, like the ones at Schenk Podolsky who can help you navigate the process and represent your best interests.

If you’re involved in a car accident in Arizona, and heed help negotiating with the insurance company so you could get the compensation that you deserve, contact us today and let us represent you.