Car crashes are common occurrences, from a small bump to a serious road traffic incident, all crashes should be taken seriously. If you’re involved in a small incident, you may be able to manage the situation by yourself, but if the crash was more complicated, it could be worth considering using a personal injury lawyer. For example, if you’re on the west coast, you might want to search for injury lawyer San Francisco. For more in-depth information on the subject, you could call a Long Island car accident lawyer.  A car accident can be a frightening and stressful experience, especially if there’s injury involved. If you or a loved one are seriously injured, look into brain injury lawyer Seattle.

What to do at the scene of the accident?

Be sure to check yourself and your passengers for injuries, call the emergency services if needed, then move to safety, away from other vehicles and fast-moving traffic. If you have an emergency car kit, then use this to warn other drivers to slow down. It’s very important to exchange contact and insurance details with the other driver involved in the accident. As a precaution, take notes of the vehicle involved for example, color, make and model as well as the license plate number. You should call the police to report the accident as you may need a copy of the police report if you need to file a claim with your insurer. It’s also sensible to take your own photographs as a record of the accident, location, cars involved and any damage caused. If there are any witnesses present, talk to them and take their names and contact details as you may need their statements in the future to support a claim.

Was the accident your fault?

Do you think you are to blame for your car accident? If so, there are a few points to consider. But you may want to speak to your car accident lawyer before you take any steps to see what your options are. If you can afford to pay for the damage caused to your vehicle, then you may not need to claim on your insurance policy. This can be a costly option, so alternatively you could sell your car for scrap or spare parts and then use this money to fund the purchase of another vehicle. The other option is to make a formal claim against your insurance policy, although this often has other cost implications such as a rise to your premiums in the future. Although, this may be a risk worth taking as it can quickly provide you with the funds to fix your car and get back on the road. If you choose this option, it’s sensible to shop around and ask a few garages for quotes as this will help keep your insurance claim costs down.

What should you do if the accident was not your fault?

If the car accident you have been involved in was not your fault, then it may be worth speaking to a personal injury lawyer. Although each case is different and the result will depend on the circumstances of the situation, you may be able to secure payment to cover any treatment or medical costs needed due to the accident as well as lost earnings. Alongside this you should be able to claim for repairs to your vehicle as well as the cost to cover a temporary vehicle whilst yours is being repaired.

If you are unsure who is to blame for the car accident, speak to a lawyer for more information and what steps to take next.