If at one time your car is involved in an accident, do not panic. You only need to know what to do and at what time to safeguard yourself and your interest. No matter the impact of the accident you are involved in, do not ignore and leave the scene without reporting it because this can affect your future. Repair your car on time with the correct parts to avoid further damages. Hire an experienced attorney to represent you and help you get your benefits from your insurance. If the car is totaled, you can invent a wise way of disposing of it that will add more money to your pocket. The following are advice that will help you when you are involved in an auto accident.
File a Report
The first advice for an auto accident is to file a report after. Even if it is just a fender bender that creates slight damage, report it to the relevant authorities. It is illegal not to report an accident, and legal action can be taken against you if you do not register. Call the police before leaving the scene to come and record any information that would be necessary when you are filing a legal claim. If you leave the scene before reporting, you may lose a legal claim. Gather all the information you can get from the location and let your attorney and the police decide what information is valuable and what is not. Never admit fault, even if you think that you are at fault. Let the police and your lawyer figure out what happened. Do not sign a police report without reviewing it. Ascertain that the facts on the statement are correct. If the information is not accurate, let the police change it to what you agree. Make sure the witnesses give the correct facts too.
Gather Evidence
The evidence that you collect helps you to get compensation for the vehicle damages. Gather any possible pertinent information that will help you get compensated. You should record videos or photographs of the location of the accident. Take pictures of the injuries that you sustain in the accident. Obtain the name, cell phone number, insurance information, driver’s license number, vehicle plate number, and address from other drivers involved in the accident. Also, find out if the drivers of the car they are driving are personal or companies, and if it is a company’s, then request for their contacts. Collect the names, addresses, and contact information of all the eyewitnesses to the accident. Any money you pay to hire rental cars should keep the receipt to be part of the evidence. Take note of the condition of the vehicles involved, the scene of the traffic signs, skid marks, and vehicle fragments. Keep information on your health record appointments and the receipt if required to pay during the visits. Obtain a complete copy of your medical report, including the MRIs or X-rays. You should also include any documentation of any current vehicle repair done to your car just before the accident and accompany it with a receipt. The evidence that you gather will help you to file for compensation from the insurance.
Hire an Experienced Attorney
After an accident, call your attorney or hire an experienced DUI attorney. It is not advisable to settle a severe claim on your own with your insurer without the help of an attorney. At times, the insurer refuses to make a fair settlement deal or any at all. If you have been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, contact an experienced DUI lawyer or a criminal attorney to represent you. A client who hires an experienced attorney earns more settlement checks than those who represent themselves. If you suffer injuries, whether on a personal journey or your company, get a personal injury lawyer or workers comp lawyer to guide you on how to file a claim.
Report to your Insurance company
Notify your insurance company as soon as possible. You should not stay for more than seven days without notifying your insurer or the specified time outlined by the insurance company. You must hand in some documents to help them authenticate and agree to the claim. After giving the documents, you fill-up the claim form. The insurance company may do a thorough inspection. You must file a complete application for accident benefits within 30 days after receiving the claim form.
Seek Medical Attention
Your car matters, and so does your health. Another piece of advice for an auto accident is to seek medical attention immediately. Check your car and yourself thoroughly to determine whether the accident has caused serious injuries. Unless you are totally sure you are not injured, you should seek medical attention at the nearest emergency room or see your physician. Often, auto accidents injuries are not immediately evident. Most clients report feeling pain a day or two following motor vehicle accidents. If you are dazed for a short time after the accident, you could be experiencing closed head injury and should seek medical attention. Visit a medical spa with a chiropractor or an orthopedist who will determine your problem and help you heal and prevent future problems. Get assessed for any invisible injuries. You must also get to the doctor as soon as possible to comply with the auto insurance requirements that state that a policyholder has a limited amount of time to see a doctor after an accident to receive a pip.
Get the Company’s Representative
If an auto accident happened at work, get the company attorney to represent you. After the accidents, the company organizes with their attorney how they will present your case and file for a claim on your behalf. The company is liable for any injuries that you sustain driving a company’s vehicle within the limits of your contract. Make an employee compensations claim concerning the damages.
Keep a File
Keeping all your auto accident-related documents and relevant information together is also critical advice to an auto accident driver. It becomes easier to retrieve any information when you need it. The information you need to keep should include names and phone numbers of contact individuals involved in the accidents, a claim number, the claim adjuster, receipt for rental cars that you used after the accident, and any other document related to the accident.
Get Necessary Repairs Fixed
Whether it’s just getting a vehicle wrap or installing a new engine, pick out an auto body shop that’s reputable to repair your car. If you are using your insurance, they may recommend an auto repair shop list to get your vehicle fixed to cut costs. Consider your car brand’s auto shop since the mechanics will identify your car problem quickly. Compare price estimates of several body shops and go for a cheaper shop with quality services. See if the shop uses original or aftermarket spare parts and choose what you want for your car. Using aftermarket spare parts may compromise your car insurance cover, so you need to consult before buying the parts. Apart from the repair price, consider whether the body shop is certified to carry those repairs. Let the mechanic identify the problem with your car and give information to you before they start the repair.
Replace Car Parts as Needed
Have an appointment with a mechanic and organize how you will take your car. If the car is not drivable, hire towing services to take it to the mechanic. Replace all the faulty parts of the car after an accident. Some parts may be irreparable, hence you need to replace them with new ones. For your car parts to be replaced with the correct parts, you need to take your car to an experienced mechanic. Determine if the body shop is certified to carry out the type of repairs you want. Ask if they have any certification from the companies that are accredited body shops such as AAA, AC, ASE, ICAR, and Part Plus. If the company has this certification, the service offered will be top-notch. If you are using an insurance cover, they may deny some requests for the repairs, and you will be required to chip in if you do not have extra coverage. Replace car parts as needed and do not take shortcuts. If you are out to replace a catalytic converter, get the perfect one. The car will initially function without a catalytic converter but later will develop some engine problems. Go for original car parts that match your car. Also, the cost of repairing a problem like a windshield could increase if you stay longer without repairing it, and the insurance may not agree to pay for extra expenses.
Repair Cosmetic Second, Not First
Leaving your car unattended can cost you so much in the long run. Make an arrangement to repair your car not so long after the accident. Some parts will absorb more impact than others. The cosmetic parts absorb more shock than the other parts. However, do not repair them first before you check the other parts, such as engine parts and exhaust system. Cosmetic parts like hood, fenders, bumper, headlights, and door damages are common in auto accidents but should be repaired after you are done with other parts. The vehicle wraps repair is also part of cosmetics. After you are done with all the other broken parts, replace the wraps and graphics.
Sell the Broken Parts Same Day
Another piece of advice for an auto accident that will help you earn some cash is same day junk removal. You do not have to keep that junk of metals after you have repaired your car when you can make money out of it. Dispose of those broken parts of your car the same day you have your car done. You can take the broken parts to a scrapyard or sell them to people interested in repairing them if they are not completely unusable. If you carry these broken parts to your home, they may become a nuisance or make it look like a scrapyard. If the car was totaled, consider selling the junk car for cash.
Sell the car if it Is Totaled
Do not be stressed if you are unable to repair your car because you can still make money out of your totaled car. There will always be someone looking to buy your car, whether it’s one of the latest BMWs or wrecked vipers for sale. If you plan to take the car to a scrap dealer, remove all valuable parts of that car and sell them to those people interested in buying them. The following are some parts that you can make extra dollars with before you give up on your car. A catalytic converter is a hot cake, and you will make fast money with it. The resale value of a catalytic converter is high. Sell it to those who would be interested in having it. The voice-operated GPS in your vehicle can help another driver to have hands-free driving and money in your pocket. You can recycle your car’s battery or sell it to people who would be interested in it. The engine can also fetch good money depending on its condition. The price of the engine is based on the axles and the parts that are intact. You could remove and sell other items like windshields, bumpers, cooling systems, fenders, and airbags if they did not deploy after the accident. Don’t let your car waste but make as much possible out of it.
One Man’s Junk Is Another Income
Your car isn’t entirely out of repair. You would be surprised to know that there is a buyer who would wish to have it. A private buyer may renovate it back to functioning order. Some buyers would want it in its current condition for this purpose.
When you are involved in an auto accident, follow the above advice, and you have a stress-free moment after the accident. Do not let an accident ruin your life. Know your rights as a driver and what you can do after the accident to file a claim. Do not let accidents control or give you stress. Be the manager of your own life. Take the car to a body shop for repair and if it is irreparable, dismantle it and make cash out of it. You can also get a private buyer who would be in a position to repair it. An auto accident does not need to be the end of the road for you.