Nothing interrupts a work day worse than wrecking the company vehicle. And when injuries are serious, it can interrupt the quality of your life as well. For this reason, it is important to be prepared. Knowing how to handle a car accident in your work vehicle will be helpful to your claim and recovery. Continue reading for tips on what to do if you are ever involved in one.
Always Be Prepared
If you are frequently commuting back and forth in a company car all day long, it is important to be prepared for a car accident. With so much driving, the likelihood of being involved in a collision of some sort increases drastically. To prepare, keep a disposable camera in your vehicle, along with your insurance information, pen, paper, and of course, your drivers’ license. These items will make your post-accident time line much smoother, and will also allow you to record any evidence you need to support your insurance and/or injury claim. Evidence includes witness statements, witness contact information, other driver’s insurance and contact information, pictures of damages and the scene of the accident, and more.
What to Do
As soon as you are involve in a car accident, the first step is to seek medical attention right away. Once you are stable, you can continue on. If you are transported directly to a hospital for serious injuries, ask a police officer to help collect the information you need beforehand (if you can). If not, don’t worry about it; an experienced personal injury lawyer can help you gather all the evidence needed to support your case if need be.
If you are stable (often times injuries from car accidents can lay dormant for weeks and show up much later), then your next step is to check on the other people involved in the accident to see if they are okay. If they require medical treatment, step back and allow them to receive it. If they are stable, then you want to exchange insurance and contact information with them. DO NOT admit fault, apologize, or show remorse. Keep your conversation as short and vague as possible. This can be held against you later on during the claims process. It is also recommended to take a photo of their insurance card, license plate, and drivers’ license to ensure accuracy in case of clerical errors.
Next, use your phone or camera to take pictures and video of the scene of the accident, the vehicular damages, the road signs, stop lights, or other objects you think contributed to the accident. Also take pictures of any physical injuries you have on your body. Once you have visual evidence, look around to see if there were any witnesses to the accident. Ask them for their contact information if you need their statements during the claims process. When you get home, or to a place of privacy, immediately record your recollection of the event. This will allow you to look back at your perception of the accident when it was still fresh in your mind.
The last step is to hire an experienced car accident attorney to help negotiate your settlement in the case that you were seriously injured. They can help you recover the full and fair compensation you need to come back from your losses and damages.
