What to do when you have a car accident claim

I’m writing this because I regularly have clients come to me with just a flimsy piece of paper. Scribbled down in a panic I see just the the registration number of the person that hit them in their recent car accident.

Now I know how easy it is for the brain to go blank and panic, but you need to remain calm and collate all the necessary information in order to get through this inconvenience and pain. I’ve attached a printable PDF form at the bottom of this article, so you can print it off and stick a few in the glove compartment of your car. It may sound silly but the form at the bottom is your ticket to proving it wasn’t your fault, recovering any losses and making an injury claim if you are injured.

Now i’m very good at what I do and the solicitors we have within the personal injury department of Geoffrey Leaver are fantastic but with limited information, there are often problems.

Here’s what you need to do the moment you have been involved in an car accident

1. Get the vehicle registrations of all the cars involved. Go for the vehicle you believe is responsible for the accident first and then the others. Taking pictures on your mobile phone is a perfect way of getting their registration number but also car make, model, colour and the scene of the accident. Taking pictures of the third party vehicles is important as there is a yearly increase of reported cases of cloned number plates.

2. If your old school and you don’t own a mobile phone or you don’t have it handy then you need a pen and something to write on quick. Again, collate the following: car registartions, make, model, colour from point 1. Or keep a cheap camera in your car.

3. Now ask everyone involved for their full name, address and phone number. Ask for proof of ID like a driving licence for you reassurance. Just tell a little white lie, so the person isn’t offended like; the last accident you had the person was uninsured so your parinoid of it happening to you again.

4. Always ask who their insurance is with and do they know their policy number. Most people won’t know their policy number unless they keep it in their car documents within their car, but everyone should know who they are insured with and if they don’t – then make a conscious effort to get a picture of their ID.

5. If your not old school, take as many pictures as possible at the scene of the accident. Most client pictures we receive show us the damage of their car but not necessarily the scene of the accident which ultimately can prove who was at fault. Take quite a few steps away from the accident and try and get the whole scene – including the road markings, cars involved, signs and even the people involved as this covers the description part in point 6. Remember, you can take close up pictures of your damaged car later.

6. If you haven’t got a camera on your phone then take note of everyones description; Sex, Height, Hair Colour, Build, Skin Colour and facial features like a beard.

7. Take a look around you, is there anyone who saw the accident that you could ask to be a witness. If the case has to go to court, a witness goes a long way. Get their name, number and address and establish who’s fault they believed the accident to be.

8. Now take a note of the name of the road and what direction you were heading.

9. Always go to your GP if you have been injured so there is a record of injury because 12 months on you may not remember the date of RTA or injuries suffered.

10. If you are struggling to collate this information because the person/s are not co-operating or you suspect they are not insured then get as much information as possible like vehicle registration, make, model, colour, description and call the police.

Printable PDF, Click Here: Car Accident From – What to do !

Expect some high pressure calls after your accident from your insurers or the third parties insurers. Don’t make a hasty decision or sign anything until you have read all the small print. Any company making high volume call centre phone calls probably won’t won’t have your best interests at heart.

If you’ve had an accident within the last 3 years and you haven’t claimed, then let me know. I’m the business development manager for a personal injury solicitors in Milton Keynes called Geoffrey Leavers. We have helped hundreds of clients win their claims, recover their losses and get them the compensation they deserved.

Feel free to call me: 07880 886119 or text claim and I will call you back.