Each year, there are millions of car accidents around the country, If you end of wrecking your car, you’ll need an experienced auto body shop in your area. The problem is that no one prepares you for what you should do after you have been in a collision. There are certain steps that you need to take after a collision to remain within the law and work correctly with your insurance.Visit Richmond personal injury lawyer to learn more.

Stop At The Scene

You should never drive away from the scene of a collision regardless of the severity. This is a criminal offense and you can have charges brought against you. After the collision, you will need to stop and stay on the scene until you are told by the police that you can leave or are taken to hospital.

When you stop, you need to move off the road if possible. If your vehicle has been severely damaged and cannot move, you need to put the hazard lights on. You should also place cones of flags to alert other drivers.

Call The Police

Once your vehicle is off the road or you have secured the area, you need to call the police. This is something that you should do whether there is a serious injury from the collision or not. You will need to have a police report if you want to file a claim with your insurance provider.

If there have been any injuries, you will also need to call for an ambulance. If the injuries are severe, you should refrain from moving the injured person as this could make the injury worse. The only time this should be attempted is when there is more risk if they remain where they are.

Make An Accurate Record

When the police arrive, you will need to tell the officers what happened. You will need to be honest, but if you do not know some of the facts you should be open about this. Never speculate or try to mislead the police as what you tell them can be used against you.

While it is important that your statement to the police is accurate, you also need to ensure that statements made by other people are also accurate. This will include the other driver and any witnesses. At this point, you should also take pictures of the vehicle and the scene.

If you have any visible injuries, you should also photograph them for the record. While taking the pictures you should not interfere with the police investigation. If you are unable to take pictures at the scene, you will need to do this as soon as possible after the collision.

Exchange Information

The police will generally obtain all the information necessary. However, you should also exchange information with the other driver and any witnesses. The information that you need includes the name, address, contact information, and driver’s license number. You should also get the information of any passengers.

If the police have responded to the collision, you will need to get a police report number from them. This number allows you to get a copy of their report at a later date. Check this out.

Notify Your Insurance Provider

As soon as you can, you will need to notify your insurance provider about the collision. There are many insurance policies that require you to report this immediately and you need to consider this. If you have a medpay policy, you will also need to provide any accident-related bills to your insurance.

When you talk to the insurance company, you will need to be honest and not distort any of the facts. If you are found to be lying to the insurance company, they have the right to not pay out any claims.

There are a number of steps that you need to take after a collision. Contacting the correct authorities is important, but you also need to keep a record of everything. Exchanging information with the other parties involved is also vital. Learn more here.