In the U.S., more than 6 million car accidents happen every year. Fortunately, most of these accidents only have property damage which is a better outcome compared to it involving occupants. However, there are also cases which involves personal injury to the driver or the passengers in which some of them may have caused fatal injuries.

If ever you get yourself into an automobile accident in Vacaville, you need to follow certain procedures to protect yourself and your interests. This is one way of ensuring that you won't incur many losses and that the situation will be handled accordingly. So if you did get involved in such an accident, then these are the things that you need to do right away.

Actions To Take After An Auto Accident in Vacaville CA

1. Stop - No matter how minor or major the accident is, never drive away from the scene. If you do this, it will only make matters worse and you might even end up in a penalty that could become your worse nightmare. It's common that you'll have the idea of driving away especially if there are no witnesses around but please don't do it and calm yourself so that you can assess the situation.

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   Preserve the scene - The first thing that you need to do is set up flares or turn on the flashers of your car on to prevent further accidents from happening within the scene. If ever you're stuck in the middle of the night, at least bring a flashlight with you to keep yourself safe until help arrives.

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   Call the police - Even if no serious injuries have happened between you and the involved party, it's still a good idea to call police. You can use this opportunity to file a police report which will be needed for your insurance company. It's also protocol that the involved vehicles remain on site unless it's causing some more traffic.

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   Make an accurate record - Once the police arrive, make sure to tell the police every detail of what happened during the accident. If you think that you have been missing some facts, then make sure to tell that to the officer as well. Don't ever try to speculate or make an uneducated guess of the events because that won't go well for you. There are times that the pain and injuries caused by automobile accidents become apparent for hours after the incident. Also, make sure to listen to the statement of the other party as well so that you'll know if the information they shared matches yours.

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   Take pictures - If there is visible damage on your car, make sure to take a photo of it right away. Any injuries that you may have incurred should also be photographed as well. Once the police investigation is underway, avoid any interference at all cost because that act can get you in trouble. If for some reason you haven't taken pictures at the scene of the accident, then do it right away after the accident.

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   Exchange information - Police officers are usually the ones who obtain this kind of officer. But as you're waiting for the officer to arrive, you should at least start gathering the information of the party involved such as their name, address, and telephone number. If possible, ask for the information of their insurance company as well since it could be of help for your claims later on. The investigating officer will also be providing a police report number to both parties which will make the investigation easier to process. This number can be used to obtain the police report if ever you need some of that information.

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   Report the accident - Your insurance company should also be notified right away. The police usually require full cooperation and immediate reporting for the investigation to go smoothly. Make sure that you have an understanding if your insurance company also covers medical benefits. These medical benefits are normally paid at an extra rate, so it is perfect to be used in this situation.

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   Seek medical attention - As it was mentioned, some pain and injuries aren't immediately apparent and may take days up to weeks before you can feel it. But if you're certain you weren't injured or anything, you should still seek medical attention by seeing your family physician or going to the local emergency room because even minor impacts can cause some serious damage to your spinal cord. If for some reason you lost consciousness or feeling dazed following the collision, there's a possibility that you have suffered a concussion or closed head injury. If this goes left untreated, you might suffer from cognitive and behavioral changes.

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   Keep a file - You should gather all your accident-related information and documents together in a single file so that you can always find them whenever needed. It should also include all relevant information of anyone involved as well as the expenses since these may serve of great importance later on.

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    Protect your rights - Apart from your health, your attorney is another important factor you should consider after the accident. They can help protect your rights and ensure that any valuable evidence is not destroyed. There are times that certain insurance companies would take statements from you after the accident. This is the part where your attorney comes in since they could give you legal advice before you can provide such statement. They will also advise you on any issues that may arise during the investigation.

Call Absolute Family Chiropractic in Vacaville today!