Got In A Car Accident? Important Steps To Take Before Contacting Your Insurance Provider

Getting into a car accident can be an extremely unpleasant experience.

For this reason, it is important to know the steps you should take before contacting your insurance provider after an accident in Georgia.

Contacting the Police

If you have been in a car accident, the first thing that you should do is call 911 and report the incident to the police. This is an important step, as law enforcement will document the accident and create an official police accident report. This report can be used later on if you need to file a claim with your insurance provider.

Calling the police is your priority after an accident, regardless of how minor the incident may seem. Documenting the information with law enforcement is vital to your future claim, as it can help to prove that you are actually at fault or that there was no damage done to either car. As noted by this Georgia car accident lawyer, at this point, you need to seek the help of a legal professional. This is a great idea, as the sooner you hire legal representation, the better off you will be concerning your claim.

Checking Yourself for Injuries

If possible, after calling 911 and waiting for authorities to arrive at the scene of the accident, take a minute and check yourself for injuries. This sounds picky, but you must do this before you contact anyone else, including your insurance provider or legal representative. You want to make sure that there wasn't any internal damage done during the accident because if there is, then your claim could immediately be compromised by not seeking medical attention right away.

It's also important to get checked out by a medical professional if you have been involved in an accident, as getting an official diagnosis from a physician is vital to ensure that everything is reported. It doesn't matter whether you feel like you're fine or not, as this way they can document any injuries that resulted from the crash and provide treatment for anything major.

Checking the Other Party for Injuries

During a car accident, you might feel like the only person who got hurt and by this point, you may have forgotten about the other party involved in the crash. It's important to remember that although your concern is primarily with yourself, it is also very important to make sure - during an accident - that everyone else involved is okay as well. Sometimes injuries aren't immediately visible, especially if they are internal or only affect one side of the body. The best way to ensure that no one else is injured in an accident is by checking on them and seeing if they need any help with anything.

Remember: when in doubt, check on everyone involved! There's no reason not to, and doing so can help you ensure that the other party is just fine and able to get home safely.

Getting Full Medical Attention

After everything mentioned above, it is a good idea for you to visit your personal health care provider or a hospital if you have been injured during the crash. As stated before, this is an important aspect of claiming workman's comp benefits for injuries sustained from a car accident, so being proactive about your treatment can help your claim stand up in court when necessary. Going after medical attention will not compromise your ability to file a claim because getting treatment is required to make sure that nothing gets worse over time.

Once you are checked out by doctors, you will be able to provide the necessary paperwork to the insurance company, which they need to deem you unfit for work. This documentation is important, as it can help to expedite the process of getting your benefits approved and ensure that you can take some time off to rest and recover from the accident.

Sometimes you can also seek legal advice before calling the insurance companies, but only if you are already working with a lawyer. You should call him or her immediately after the accident if that is the case because they will be able to provide you with advice on what to do next and how best to handle your claim.

Car accidents can be traumatic and if you are in one, it is important to take the necessary steps so that your situation does not get worse over time. The first step would be calling 911 or emergency services for help while waiting at the scene of the accident. Make sure to check yourself for injuries as well as others.

Finally, go see a health care provider immediately after any type of injury occurs -  be sure to share this vital information with your insurance company because filing a claim from the beginning will only help your case in court.