What You Can Do If You Find Yourself Involved in a Car Accident That Was Not Your Fault
It is prudent and advisable to act calmly after suffering a traffic accident, to avoid further injuries and keep the situation under control.
What should you do if bad luck ends up involved in a car accident that you didn’t cause?
There are many factors that can cause a traffic accident: mechanical failures, stress, speeding, a distracted or drunk driver etc.
And while much has been said about how to prevent an accident, little has been written about what to do when unfortunate events occur.
The International Red Cross has compiled a comprehensive list of actions to be taken by people who are injured after a road traffic accident.
There is a procedure of three basic actions that must be taken in this type of accident: protect, alert and rescue.
Protect:
The first thing to do is to protect the people involved in the event and remain on site until emergency teams and police arrive.
Record as much information as you can.
Make sure you get medical attention and check that you don’t have serious injuries that could compromise your health.
Check the health status of the other people injured in the accident.
Turn on the vehicle’s hazard lights to alert other drivers of your situation.
Place reflective cones or triangles on the road 30 meters from the injured vehicle (in front and behind the vehicle, if it is on a two-way street). The important thing is to avoid a new accident due to the lack of signage.
Check for leaks of oil, gasoline, and other liquids that may be dangerous.
After verifying and gathering all the information, you should alert the police about the incident. You can do this as follows:
Call the emergency hotline (#911) or, if applicable, the police.
Contact your insurance company.
Contact your lawyer.
Explain exactly everything that happened, indicate: the exact location of the accident (address and signs of how to get to the place), how long it has been since it happened, if there are injured or deceased people, etc.
Since the accident was not your fault, you are entitled to receive compensation from the insurance company of the party at fault for the accident, for being a victim.
If you need to fight a police report, continue reading our blog, we have information and articles that can help you.
Do not move the injured from the car, unless there is an immediate danger of fire, explosion or other similar events. This can harm the injured, they should only be transferred by nurses or experts in handling injured people.
Do not remove the helmet of a motorcyclist injured in a traffic accident.
If any of the injured have bleeding, take a piece of gauze and put it on the wound.
If the people involved are not seriously injured, tell them to stay on the sidewalk and away from the traffic accident.
Stay calm and act calmly, this will allow you to handle the situation and thus be able to help injured people.
Follow these tips in case you find yourself involved in an accident that was not your fault.
You should be aware that California roads can be very dangerous, so drive very carefully.
What legal action can I take if I am the victim of a traffic accident?
You may be wondering how long you should wait to file a lawsuit after the accident. What you need to do first is gather evidence showing that you have been the victim of a traffic accident due to the negligence of another driver in order to receive compensation from the insurance company.
For immediate help contact Attorney with you, our attorneys are available full-time throughout Orange County and California.
Negligence is a legal term that means someone has failed to act reasonably, carefully, and responsibly.
In the case of a car accident, negligence is evidenced by the facts reflected in the police report, eyewitness testimony, expert testimony, and photographs of the accident scene.
To prove that the cause of the accident was an act of negligence committed by a third party you need to prove that:
The accident caused damage or injury and the at-fault party has the responsibility to pay compensation for the catastrophic consequences of the accident.
If there is more than one party involved in the accident then liability can be distributed to the negligent parties according to the percentage of fault they have. This is called comparative negligence.
It is very important that you know the coverage limit your injury insurance has. In California it is mandatory to have an insurance policy, minimum you must have liability coverage, there are other types of coverage available that include: Comprehensive Coverage. Medical coverage and funeral services. Coverage for uninsured drivers.
According to the latest statistics indicating insurance rate studies, conducted by the California Department of Insurance (CDI) in 2004, 14.43% of drivers in California do not have auto insurance. Coverage for uninsured or underinsured drivers can cover damages caused by these drivers. If your car is being financed, or leased, the leasing company will require you to purchase collision insurance coverage.
Contact Attorney Contigo today for immediate assistance by calling 866.984.7098.
What happens to my car insurance after an accident?
Your car insurance rates will not automatically increase during renewal time just because you filed a lawsuit under your own insurance policy for an accident that was not your fault. There is a policy that strictly prohibits insurers from raising rates for accidents in which the insured was not at fault.