Have you ever been in a car accident? If you have, you know that it is a scary and confusing experience. The great people at the Kansas Insurance Organization have prepared a checklist of things to do after a car accident. Now, while this is a great list, but I invite you to consider these five key steps.
Stop the Car
When you are in an accident, you should immediately move to a safe area off the road and stop your car. Make sure to turn off the engine. If your car is immobile, that’s fine, but if you can still move your car, move it to a safe area. You do not want to be hit by another motorist after the initial accident. Make sure you don’t let that happen by getting your car out of traffic and shutting it off.
Check Yourself
Are you hurt? That should be your first concern after making sure you are in a safe place. Do a quick scan of your body. Are you bleeding? Hurting? Is anything broken? If you are hurt, stay put. If your feel you are not too badly, move on to the next step.
Call the Authorities
The authorities need to be notified of the accident. It’s the law. Get out your cellphone and dial 911 or the number for local police department. Let them know you have been in an accident, tell them how many cars were involved and tell them where you are. Be as specific and accurate as you can be.
Check on Others
Now that you have moved you vehicle, assessed yourself and contacted the authorities, it’s time to check on the other motorists. Go to the other vehicle and check on its occupants. If they are in need of assistance, do what you can and are comfortable doing. At the very least, stay with the injured person until help arrives.
Seek Treatment
Regardless of how you feel after an accident, seek medical attention as soon as you can. That may mean taking a ride in an ambulance or having a friend or family member drive you to the emergency room. Many car accident injuries don’t manifest immediately, and can only be discovered by a medical professional.
There are other things you should do after an accident – such as get the attending officer’s information and contacting your family and insurance company, but these are the most important.
Have you been injured in a car accident? Are you considering filing a personal injury claim in Kansas? We would love to help. Please fill out the case evaluation form found on this site and one of our expert car accident claim attorneys will contact you shortly to arrange a free consultation to review your case.