What To Do After A Car Accident Not Your Fault
Car accidents are stressful situations for several reasons. When one is not at fault in the accident it can become a more complicated matter when ensuring that compensation is received from the correct party involved.
Knowing what to do after a car accident is not your fault is vital in dealing with the aftermath involving damages and costs. Let’s have a look at what to do and how insurance works after such an event.
What Steps to Take After an Accident That’s Not Your Fault
Check For Injuries
Most importantly, one should always check on themselves and any individuals involved in the accident for injuries. If there are any injuries that are severe or life-threatening, one should immediately seek medical attention.
To prevent any further damages, one should ensure that all individuals are out of the way of any potential danger zones while trying their best to preserve the accident scene as much as possible.
Get Medical Help
After leaving the scene of an accident one should see a doctor, even if they feel okay. Certain car accident injuries, such as whiplash may take time to develop and not present themselves immediately.
Visiting a doctor provides a proactive treatment for any potential injuries and shows the insurance company that the injuries are severe. This means they will be more likely to compensate the individual for damages that there is clear evidence of.
Call Insurance Company
Knowing what to do after a car accident that’s not your fault is also vital when it comes to insurance. If an individual was not at fault at all in the car accident, the other driver’s insurance will be liable for the damages and compensation.
Some insurance companies are for-profit businesses which means that one may get pushback from the at-fault driver’s insurance.
In this event, they may:
- Offer a much lower settlement amount.
- Try to blame the no-fault driver for the accident in whole or in part.
- Deny the claim completely.
To protect oneself in such a situation, it’s recommended that one informs their insurance company about the accident as soon as possible. By doing this it will alert them in case the other driver’s insurer denies all responsibility for the accident.
Contact Police
Contacting the police immediately after a car accident has occurred is crucial. Though the laws on reporting an accident may vary slightly by state, it is a criminal offense to flee the scene of an accident no matter where it occurs.
In Georgia, one must call the police department immediately if there are:
- A car accident that happens in a city that needs a crash report.
- An injury or death.
- Property damage worth more than $500.
A car accident will also need to be reported if one’s insurance company requires it.
Gather Information
It is important to gather certain information for when the police come to the scene of the accident. Though the police will get information from both drivers, it is helpful to gather the information for oneself such as the following:
- Name, phone number, and address of all the drivers involved.
- The insurance company name and policy number for all the drivers.
- Pictures of the accident scene, injuries, and any vehicle damage.
- Contact information from any witnesses.
How is Insurance Affected When It’s Not Your Fault?
Knowing what to do after a car accident that’s not your fault is also important when it comes to insurance and the process involved. In no-fault states, each driver’s insurance company will pay for minor injuries regardless of who was responsible for causing the accident. The driver responsible for causing the collision may still be expected to cover property damage.
However, the majority of states are at-fault states, meaning that the insurer of the driver who caused the crash will pay for damages. Insurers pay out up to policy limits. If damages exceed that amount, the victims can try to hold the responsible driver accountable directly or pursue a claim through their under-insured motorist policy.
How Long Will a Not-At-Fault Accident Stay on Your Record?
Some may think that an accident that was not their fault would mean not having it on one’s record, but this is not the case. A not-at-fault accident will show up on one’s driving record and can remain on one’s record for five years.
Get Compensation For Your Car Accident Today!
For those looking for assistance regarding what to do after a car accident, that is not your fault, call us at Mulvihill Law today or contact us online.
Our well-experienced team of personal injury lawyers is ready to inform you about your rights and assist you every step of the way to ensure that you are properly compensated.