Car crashes can come with big bills. The worse the damage to your vehicle is and the more serious your injuries are, the more a crash will likely cost you.
Insurance can help, but there are common mistakes that can make it harder for people to get full compensation for their crash-related losses. Knowing what steps to take in the event of a crash will help you avoid complications and delays when you need to pay for a replacement vehicle or hospital bills.
How can you protect yourself financially right after a car crash?
Keep a record of what occurred
Even if the other driver was obviously at fault, they may try to blame you for the wreck. They might also try to leave the scene of the crash so that they don’t get ticketed or arrested.
As soon as you recover from the shock of the collision, you can start documenting the situation with your phone. If your phone suffered catastrophic damage, you could potentially keep written notes. Having a small notebook and writing implements in your vehicle can be an important backup for keeping detailed information about a crash.
Contact the authorities if the situation warrants it
If the other driver caused the crash, they might try to convince you to settle the issue without making an official report. They may offer to pay directly for your medical bills or your vehicle repair costs.
It may seem like a great idea to keep the police and insurance companies out of the situation, but you will have few options for enforcing your verbal agreement without a police report. Calling the police to report the collision shortly after the wreck helps ensure you will get compensation for the losses caused by the crash.
Know when you need to see a medical professional
If you have an obvious injury from the crash, you will probably go straight to an urgent care center to receive treatment. However, many injuries, like brain injuries or internal bleeding in the abdomen, aren’t obvious right after a car crash.
It could be several days before you realize that you have concerning symptoms. High-speed collisions or crashes that involve violent vehicle motions increase your risk of significant injury. If you notice pain or tenderness anywhere on your body after the crash or if you experience a loss of consciousness, seeing a doctor to rule out potentially deadly injury is likely a good decision.
Taking the right steps after a car crash will help you lessen the long-term consequences of that crash.