In an ideal world, car accidents would never happen and everyone would drive safely and rationally at all times. However, this is unfortunately not the case. As any attorneys in Greenville, SC can tell you, accidents happen and when they do, drivers should take care to exchange names, contact information, and insurance information following the accident as long as they are physically able. If the other driver is less than cooperative in this regard, there are some things that you can do to help yourself out, since you won’t be able to do anything about the other driver’s irresponsible actions. Be Prepared with an Accident Checklist One of the most important things you can keep in your vehicle is a checklist that lists those most important things to do and steps to take in the event of an accident. It would be a good idea to print out this list or write it down and keep it in your vehicle next to your insurance documentation: 1. Move you and your vehicle to safety to keep your car out of the way to avoid another accident. 2. Do not drive off. Move your car to a safe place while staying close by. 3. Call the police and calmly do what they say. Call 911 if there are any injuries. 4. Share only pertinent insurance information with the other driver. 5. Do not talk about fault at all with anyone at the scene of the accident or afterwards. 6. Find out everything you can about the other driver. 7. Report a claim to your insurance agency. 8. Call the towing company to tow your vehicle from the accident scene. 9. Call a car rental company to minimize the time you are without a vehicle. 10. Figure out where to get your vehicle repairs done and arrange an appointment. Take as Many Photos as Possible Take as many pictures as you reasonably can following an accident. Specifically, you want to get a photo of the other vehicle or vehicles that were involved. If the other driver starts driving off, try to get photos of their license plate but if they are too far away, try at least to get photos of the car. This may still be important since you might forget what type of car it was, the color, body style, or other important details due to the stress of the accident. Take Detailed Notes As soon as the accident occurs, your memory of what happened is going to start to fade, and much quicker than you might think. Be prepared ahead of time with a pen and paper in your vehicle glove compartment so that after an accident you can start writing down as much as you can, as long as you are physically able to do so. Take notes about what the weather was like, what the road conditions were at the time of the accident, and as much of the description of the other motorist and their vehicle as you can remember. Stay Put Finally, don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because the other motorist drove off and left you in the lurch that you don’t have to stay yourself. At the very least, your driver’s license could be revoked, and as a worst case scenario, you could be charged with a Class F Felony. Stick around and cooperate as much as possible with law enforcement. Getting into an auto accident is stressful enough, but when the other driver takes off without exchanging information, you have significantly more problems on your hands. Make sure you do not make the situation worse by not being prepared for this situation, and work with qualified and experienced attorneys in Greenville, SC to protect you through your next steps. Robert E. Ianuario, PC http://www.ianuariolaw.com/personal-injury-cases/ is your premier destination for seeking legal services when you are involved in a personal injury case. Visit attorneys in Greenville, SC now.
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