Car accidents, whether minor or significant, are not something to joke with. According to the National Institute of Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 40,000 fatalities occurred from motor vehicle crashes in 2018.

This high rate calls for a need to know what to do when someone hits your car. Here are a few steps you should immediately take:

Report the Incident

Reporting a car accident to the authorities such as the police or the emergency service is one of the first things to do if someone hits your car. This will help all parties get whatever attention they might need, whether medical or otherwise. However, even if it seems like you didn’t suffer an injury in the accident, it is still essential to have a police report as this would come in handy later on.

Seek Medical Attention

Whether or not you feel that you were physically hurt when someone hit your car, you should still seek medical attention. You should also ensure that you keep all records of treatment or your visit to the hospital safe, as these records would be helpful when you decide to seek redress in a court of law.

Record All Details

The human memory is such an intricate system that supplies us with the details we need to navigate life. However, when some information is crucial to us, such as birthdays of loved ones or special events, we do a little more than rely on memory; we ensure that we record these details to never forget them.

This should be the same with a situation as weighty as a car accident. Motor vehicle crashes are usually complicated, and as such, you must write down your recollection of the occurrence before you have a chance to forget. Ensure that all details from immediately before the accident occurred till when the at-fault driver hit your car gets recorded.

Another way to ensure that you leave nothing out of your narration is to take pictures of the scene of the accident and your injuries as well.

Collect the Contact Information of Witnesses

If you can identify any person or people who witnessed the collision, you should speak to them and take down their contact information. This includes their names, phone numbers, and addresses. To also further your cause, you should also record their account of what occurred. Ask them questions such as when the vehicle hit your car, how the accident occurred, the cause, etc. You may call these witnesses later to testify in your case.

Get a Property Appraisal

What if you did not get hurt, but your property took a hit? It would be best if you got it appraised in this situation. This way, you can find out the extent of the damage caused by the accident. Once you get this appraisal done, you should get a repair or replacement estimate, which should be part of your insurance claim.

Mind What You Say

It is not unusual to get contacted by the insurance company after someone hits your car. If this occurs, you must mind what you say to these people. This is because whatever you say can be used against you and might affect the settlement you’ll receive. You also do not want to implicate yourself in such discussions.

To ensure that you’re saying only the needful, you should contact an attorney and make certain that they are present when you are making such statements. If the insurer asks you to send your comment virtually, you can also run it through your attorney first before you share it with the insurance company.

Contact an Attorney

You can make the insurance claims after an at-fault driver hits your car by yourself. However, Maryland upholds a Contributory Negligence Law, which provides that if a victim shares even a fraction of the car accident’s fault, they can have their insurance claim denied.

This is why you need an attorney to help you navigate this process. An experienced personal injury lawyer at Pinder Plotkin will ensure that you get the maximum compensation that you deserve without your insurance company denying your claim.

Let Us Help You!

At Pinder Plotkin, we have just the right lawyers to help you navigate your car accident case and get you the maximum compensation you deserve. Our experienced personal injury lawyers will offer you a free consultation beforehand and the best representation once you engage our services. Contact us today to get started on the journey to financial compensation for your accident.