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November 27, 2018

What To Do If You Are In An Accident That Is Someone Else's Fault



An accident can be an overwhelming situation. Now imagine how you would be feeling when the accident is not even your fault. Let's be honest the first thing which you will do after an accident is to check the well being of everyone.

After that, emotions can now start running high. An adrenaline rush will definitely ruin your cognition to make a decisive judgement on what to do next. 

The Top Tips to Help You Keep Calm and Do it Right

Here is a look at some easy steps which you can make especially when you are making a claim through someone's insurance also known as a third party claim.

1. Call the Police.

Most of the accidents which occur are minor auto accidents. Thus they will only result to scratches, dents or little to no injuries.   Therefore this makes drivers always wonder whether they should file a police report or not.



If you are seeking any type of compensation especially when the accident is not your fault then a police report is definitely important. Thus the authorities should be called right away at the scene of the accident.

This will give the police a chance to investigate the scene and determine who is responsible for the accident. Once a police report has been fined it should include the following vital information:

  1. Location of where the accident has occurred
  2. The exact date and time.
  3. Statements from both drivers involved in the accident.
  4. Statements from witnesses.
  5. The amount of damage done to the cars.

A police report is important because:

  1. The police report gives an unbiased third party report about the accident.
  2. It will be required by an insurance company.
  3. It will help you provide the evidence needed in case your car is damaged or you have injuries.

2. Record the damages.

In the aftermath of an accident, it is crucial to collect information for your own use at the accident scene. This is especially important if the police have not yet arrived or you choose not to involve the authorities at that particular time.

Collect the following:

  1. Information about the vehicles involved in the accident. This will include the model of the cars, colour, number plate and the extent of the damage done.
  2. Drivers involved. Get full information about the driver of the other vehicle. This includes their names, contacts and insurance providers.
  3. Witnesses involved. Get the full names, contacts and a brief statement of what the witnesses saw.
  4. Describe the scene of the accident.
  5. Injuries. Document the injuries of anyone who has been involved in the accident.
  6. Take photos and videos of the accident scene. Pictures are worth a thousand words. They might just speak whatever a verbal statement can't.

3. Contact your insurance company.

In the course of an accident, the other driver will put the blame on you even if it's written black and white it is their fault. There is a common myth that one does not need to notify their insurance company when the accident is not their fault. However, an accident which involves damage and injury should be reported.

In this case, since you are involved in an accident caused by another person then you will file a third party insurance claim. This means that the other driver is the one who is supposed to cater for compensation.

This means that if you are injured or your property is damaged then the third insurance claim will cater for all the costs. Thus all the medical bills, treatments and repairs costs will be settled.

Most often the insurance will reward you with a large settlement. However, you are the one who is to determine whether the settlement is enough or not. If you are not satisfied with the insurance cover then you are under no obligation to accept any offer. Moreover, you can take the step to file a lawsuit. In this case you will need to hire a personal injury lawyer to help you out. 

What happens when the other driver is not insured?

If by any chance the other driver is uninsured then you will have to make a claim with the uninsured motorist coverage property(UMDP). The good thing is that there are no deductibles for UMDP claims.

On the other hand, if you have the right coverage then you can go ahead and make a claim from your insurance company. For instance, if your car has been damaged then you can file a collision insurance claim.

 In this case, it will be your own insurance cover which will pay for the total cost of the repairs. But you should keep in mind that it is you who will have to pay for the collision deductible towards repairs.



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