No one wants to go through the process of being involved in a car accident but unfortunately, statistics are not on your side. Car accidents are one of the leading causes of injuries and fatalities across the United States.
Knowing what to do immediately after an accident can help to ease the situation and make you empowered to pursue protecting your rights. No individual should have to suffer the consequences of another driver’s negligence but unfortunately, this happens all too often.
Immediately after the accident, it is important that you report it to the police and get a copy of the police report.
Collect Your Evidence
Taking pictures and videos of the evidence at the scene of the accident could prove important later in the event that you forget how the accident happened or if your personal injury lawyer has questions about how the accident unfolded.
One of the other first steps that you need to take immediately after a car wreck happens is to consult with your car insurance company. There are several things you need to know about working with your car insurance company after the accident.
What follows is an explanation of five steps frequently involved in the car accident management situation.
Understand At-Fault
First of all, an at fault accident does not necessarily mean that the accident was indeed your fault. In the event that you were recently rear ended by a person who did not have insurance and you start a claim to get repairs, you could actually have an at-fault wreck on your record.
Insurance companies don’t always care about whose fault it was. They rather care more about the data-related chances that they will have to pay out on a claim.
This means that if you’re the person who initiates a claim without any insurance information from the third party since this individual doesn’t have insurance, your insurance company has a strong chance of paying out that claim.
Don’t File Small or Frivolous Claims if You Can Avoid it
The second thing you need to know about working with your insurance company is that you should never file frivolous claims. In the event of a minor car accident, you may be tempted to file a car insurance claim but this can have negative implications for your vehicle record.
It can be difficult to maintain a claim in violation free record but it is a good idea to only file a claim in serious situations when your car has been significantly damaged.
If you have a deductible, which most people do, your insurance could double as a result of a claim you just filed where the insurance company only ended up paying $100 to fix something.
Not All Insurance Companies Are Created Equal
In the event that you had to file an insurance claim and your car insurance went from $100 per month to $200 per month, it’s important to remember that there are only a few factors that go into how much you will pay for your car insurance.
Your driving record, your credit, your age and your car, while these are all important factors, every single insurance company across the United States rates these factors differently.
It’s important to know how your car insurance company may rate situations so that you can determine what is most appropriate for you.
Your Insurance Company May Press You to Sign a Settlement
Whether it’s your insurance company or the other party’s insurance company, they may be pressing you to accept a settlement so that they can close out the matter and move on.
However, you should never accept any settlement without first consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney about this matter. Taking a settlement that is far too low could have negative implications for your future, particularly if you have suffered critical injuries in the event of an accident.
You need the insight of a knowledgeable and dedicated attorney as soon as possible after the accident happens.
Not At-Fault Accidents Can Count Against You for Your Insurance Purposes as Well
In the event that you file a claim and the accident is not completely your fault, this can still influence your car insurance rates.
Consult with New Jersey Personal Injury Lawyer Today
This is why it is a good idea to consult with an attorney as soon as possible to ensure that you have the right information about your rights and responsibilities moving forward.
Do not hesitate to consult with a knowledgeable attorney in this situation.
Learn what to do when you lose a loved one in a new jersey car accident: https://www.schibelllaw.com/what-to-do-when-lose-loved-one-in-new-jersey-car-accident/
