A car accident is a stressful enough situation. If you’ve ever been in a fender-bender or a single-car accident, you know that to be the truth. But what about serious car accidents that involve 2, 3, or even more cars, such as a pile-up on the highway?
It’s hard to know what to do to stay safe in these situations, so we’ve put together these tips to help you deal with even the most difficult multi-car accidents.
1. Don’t Move Your Car After The Accident (And Don’t Get Out)
While there are some rare exceptions to this rule, the police usually must determine who was at fault and caused a “chain reaction” leading to the accident.
This is the reason that you generally shouldn’t move your car after an accident without police permission unless it is necessary to do so for safety reasons. It is generally best not get out of the car until emergency services personnel like EMTs, the police, or fire department have secured the scene, and informed you that it is safe to do so.
2. Take Photos And Video Of The Scene
Determining fault and liability in a multi-car accident can be nightmarishly complex. Because of this, we recommend taking photos and video of the scene, if possible. If you have a smartphone, take it out and take photos of your car from every angle, and take photos of all other cars involved in the accident, as well as a video of the scene, if possible and safe to do so.
3. Get Insurance Information From All Other Available Parties (And Provide Your Own)
The majority of work determining fault will be done by your respective insurance agencies. Get the insurance information of all other involved parties, so that you will be able to report the incident and the details of the accident.
4. Give a Report to the Police
Once the police arrive, give them a report of the accident, and be honest and truthful about the circumstances surrounding the incident. However, you do not have to admit fault.
They should give you information about how to get a police report when it is finalized.
5. Contact a Car Accident Lawyer
You must report your accident to your insurance adjuster as soon as you can. Doing so will help speed up the process, particularly if multiple insurance companies are involved. Additionally, you should speak with an experienced car accident attorney ASAP. Despite what you may think, the insurance companies are not looking out for your best interests. Insurance companies are looking to minimize the amount they pay out to injury victims. Speaking with a St. Louis car accident attorney will go a long way in ensuring your legal right to compensation is protected after an accident.
Follow These Tips To Get Through An Accident!
A multiple-car accident can be very stressful, but with these tips, you can stay safe, and ensure that you do everything you can to streamline the process of reporting and filing an insurance claim.