In Case of an Accident…
If you are in an accident, here are some helpful steps for you to take to protect yourself from accepting liability when you should not be and also to ensure that you get the repair you need and want.
What you should do:
- As soon as is possible, alert the Department of Motor Vehicles about the incident.
- Assess yourself for injury and call the proper authorities; request medical help if you need it. If you can see the driver of the other vehicle is distressed, request help for them as well.
- Immediately begin writing down a detailed description of what transpired with the accident, if able, while it is all still fresh in your mind.
- Get your vehicle registration, driver’s license and insurance information out and ready to be shown to city officials who respond to the accident.
- If you are able to, remove your vehicle from the road to avoid being an obstruction of traffic.
- Alert your insurance company once an accident report is filed.
- Do not let what you consider minor damage to your vehicle without repair;what appears minor in the present could be very costly in the future.
What you should not do:
- Do not implicate yourself with an apology or by accepting fault; let the officer who responds to the scene decide who is at fault.
- Never discuss accident details with anyone on the scene other than the responding official and your insurance company.
- Never agree to being recorded or giving a signed statement to the other driver’s claims adjustor or their insurance company.
- Do not be fooled by lower estimates. You have a right to choose the body shop you want to work on your vehicle. Also, do not sign any paper work releasing the shop that repairs your vehicle of any liability of items that do not meet your satisfaction.
- Never allow your vehicle to be taken by tow to a repair shop that you are not familiar or comfortable with. Do not authorize repairs by signing a tow release unless you have made the decision for your car to be repaired by the shop it is being towed to.
Following these steps will help ensure you do not get taken advantage of during the vulnerable moments following an accident and also that the people tasked with repairing your vehicle do it right to your specifications the first time.
