Rear-end collision accidents are common among vehicle drivers who are not at fault. You’re usually sitting inside your car waiting for the signal to turn green or have parked your car and taking some time off. Suddenly, another vehicle bumps into you from behind. So it’s your rear-end that’s involved in the accident. For the other driver, it might be his front-end.
If you’re the driver that suffered the rear-end damage, then you must take some quick measures. In this article, we will learn about the important steps you must take after a rear-end collision accident.
Table of Contents
Check Everyone’s Safety
First and foremost, you must ensure that you and everyone around you are safe. Look at your condition and see if there are any signs of physical damage. If the accident has been severe, the airbags must have come off. These will reduce the physical damage, but still, there are other ways you can get injured in an accident.
Nevertheless, you should check injuries and get yourself to safety. And you’re out of danger, take out the passengers from your car, if there are any. Next, consider the safety of the other driver and the passengers in his/her vehicle. As a civil and moral responsibility, you should take everyone out of danger before anything else.
Report The Incident to the Police
Once everyone is safe, you should report the incident to the police. Although no state makes it mandatory unless the injury is severe and calls for medical attention, you should do it irrespective of if the accident was a severe or minor one. If the accident does require medical attention, then you can request a paramedics team as well.
Reporting to the police does two things. First, you have people with authority who will take care of the scene. They can block the road or stop the traffic if needed. Or they can safely get the car out of the road if it breaks down. They can handle the scenario, so you don’t have to do anything.
The second reason is you’d have an official document about the accident. When the police arrive, they will surely document the incident and take note of everything necessary. They will then prepare an official report and hand it out to the drivers involved in the rear-end collision accident.
Call an Accident Attorney
An accident attorney will help you in dealing with the legal side of things. When you’re involved in a rear-end collision accident, the person liable for the damages is required to pay for the damage too. So if you believe the other driver is at fault since he bumped into you from behind, then you can request compensation.
For this, you’re required to follow the state laws and regulations. For example, in Ohio, you must file within a certain period, which in official terms is known as “Statute of Limitations.”
For bodily injuries, the lawsuit must be filed within two years from the date of the accident.
When you call an attorney, he/she can guide you accordingly on how to proceed with the procedure to get the compensation. If the attorney can drive down to the scene, it’s even better.
If it’s you who’s at fault, then the attorney will help you reduce the severity of the charges.
Talk to Your Insurance Company
All vehicles on roads of states like Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana are mandated to be covered by insurance. Ohio state laws require a minimum amount of car insurance, the absence of which can trigger revocation of license.
Therefore, you must report the incident to your insurance carrier. They will be in a better position to guide you on how to handle the situation to make the claims process easier.
Take Pictures and Collect Evidence
All forms of disputes arising out of the rear-end collision accident will be judged based on the evidence. The more evidence in your favor, the more likely you’re to receive compensation for the rear-end damage to your vehicle. Therefore, once you’ve ensured everyone’s safety and informed the police and insurance agents, you can collect evidence.
For example, you can note the roads, cameras in place, pedestrians, and how the accident took place. Your insurance agent will guide you better in this regard. But try to limit the information exchange with the other driver.
Last by not least, you should improvise based on the situation of the rear-end accident. For more information on how to deal with a rear-end collision accident, contact our experienced attorneys today. We will help you highlight the critical points and provide professional advice.