Car accidents are extremely scary, especially if you’ve never been in one before. If you’ve just been in a car accident, there are a few things that you need to make sure that you stop and do after the fact.
The team at Injury Care Centers Inc. is going to touch on a few of the most important things that you want to make sure you do after being in a car accident.
Let’s get started
ALWAYS STOP
One of the most important things to know is that you absolutely need to stop when an accident has occurred. It doesn’t matter if there is no damage to the cars involved in the accident or if there are no injuries to be report — you need to make sure that you stop. Absolutely do not drive away from the scene.
CALL THE POLICE
In order for a police officer to properly create a report for the accident, all cars that were involved need to be present. This is the case even if it is a one-car accident. When you call, let dispatch know that an accident has occurred and whether or not there any injuries. This will ensure that all of the correct people will make their way to the scene.
PROTECT THE SCENE
Now that you’ve called the police, you want to make sure that no other cars wind up in the accident. In most cases, accidents that happen will usually create additional accidents simply because people aren’t aware of what lies ahead.
One of the best things that you can do is put up reflectors that let people know to slow down or stay to the left. Keeping your flashers on is one of the best things that you can do to warn other drivers.
TAKE PICTURES
Pictures are one of the best ways to create a thorough case for the accident. Whether you’re looking to create a claim for your vehicle or you need to go to the hospital because of injuries, it’s always good to take pictures.
Even if the area of your car seems as though it hasn’t been severely damaged or there’s just a small scratch on your arm, make sure to get it photographed. You never know when this will come in handy.
EXCHANGE INFORMATION
Something that you want to make sure that you do before you leave the accident is exchange information with any other individuals that were involved. This is important to do whether or not a police officer shows up to the accident.
You want to make sure that you take the name, phone number, and address of the person that was involved in the accident with you. In most instances, this information is used for the insurance company to manage a claim.
HEAD TO THE DOCTOR
Depending on the severity of the accident, there may be injuries that are clearly needing immediate medical attention. In some instances, you may even be rushed to the hospital as soon as medical personnel arrives at the scene.
Either way, you’re going to want to make sure that you seek medical attention as quickly as possible. Given that most injuries don’t show up for a couple of days after an accident, it’s good to have a medical professional determine whether or not you are in need of any immediate care.
In many instances, the adrenaline that happens after an accident can make pain a lot more bearable. Just to be safe, make sure that you head to a doctor after a car accident.
VISIT A CHIROPRACTOR
Regardless of how severe the accident was, the chances of your back, neck, and the muscles in this area being affected are pretty high. This is why it’s important that you set aside some time to go and visit with a chiropractor.
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries that occur after an accident, and unfortunately, the signs and symptoms don’t pop up for at least a week or two.
That being said, when you do start to experience pain, you want to make sure that you head to the chiropractor and allow them to give you a full examination.
Dr. Natalie has been in practice for over 15 years. The experience that she has gained has continued to allow her to provide individuals with the chiropractic care that they need and deserve. If you’re interested in learning more about the chiropractic treatments that we offer or you’d like to get your first consultation scheduled, contact our office today. Our team would be more than happy to get you taken care of as soon as possible.