I Was Just in a Car Accident

Accidents are a big problem in America. More people today are in car accidents for various reasons since technology has improved and there are even more distractions while driving. There is always a fear that you are going to be victim of a car accident and there might be a chance that you might not know what to expect. Such was the case of Melanie from California who is scared at the fact that there might be a chance of getting into car accidents.

Melanie writes:

Hello. I am 18 years old and just got my license. I am afraid to what I am supposed to do if I am ever in an accident. Are there certain things that you are supposed to do when this happens to you? Does it matter if it is your fault or not?

Melanie, it is very important to always pay attention and never get too distracted when you are driving. Too often people get in accident because of the small distractions. However, there are several things that you are going to have to do:

• Don’t panic – This is the most important thing you should do! Whenever people generally get in a car accident, they panic. Try your hardest to avoid this. When you panic, you forget important things that you need to collect.
• Play the waiting game – Insurance claims take a while to process. You are going to have to call up and check on the process of the claim. In many cases, you are going to have to hire an attorney to help give you the right.
• Get Information – Once you have gotten over the shock of the accident, time to take action. You need to get information of the other driver. This is something that you’re going to have to do to avoid any future experiences with the driver.

You need to get:

• Name
• Address
• Phone #
• Insurance Name and Policy #
• A copy of the police report

As for the fault of the driver, you are going to get your insurance premium to increase regardless if it is your fault or not. However, in a court of law for people who don’t have insurance, yes that happens, you are going to have to make sure that it is not deemed your fault in the police report. You are going to be able to have a lot of help from your lawyer to give you the right knowledge of what to expect in a court proceeding. Take your time when you get in a car accident and make sure that you have all the information that you need to be able to make your case.

[podcast]http://www.lawadvicenow.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/i-was-just-in-a-car-accident.mp3[/podcast]