Car accidents are never pleasant to deal with. The experience can get even worse in a hit and run accident, and if your living in a city, the chances of it happening to you are usually double. Below is a list of everything you should do if you were involved in a hit and run scenario;
Stay Calm
This can be easier said than done, but it is a vital part of the entire process. If you are having trouble with your nerves, try breathing in for three seconds and breathing out for three seconds until you’ve gathered your composure.
Stay Safe
If you are in a dangerous area and risk a secondary accident, you need to move your vehicle if possible. Pullover to the shoulder or park out of the way of oncoming traffic. This is to avoid any future damage from taking place.
Get Help
Once you have gotten to a safe location and are calm, call the police. Most insurance expect a police report to be filed in order to consider covering any damage, besides, it’s a good idea to have them at the scene of the accident. Give them all the details of what happened so they have it for their records.
Get Checked
Have a medical professional make sure your alright. Often EMTs arrive at accident location but if they’re not, be sure to go to the hospital to make sure you won’t have any serious injuries develop. Whiplash is real and one of the worst parts of any accident because they can be overlooked easily.
Take Notes
The best time to write down statements of fact about your incident is as soon as you can. Once you have your story written down you can try to see if there were other eyewitnesses and get their story as well. The more detail you can give, the better. The plate number of the vehicle that hit you is the most vital information, but anything about the incident will be helpful for the police and your insurance. If it’s safe, take pictures to help collaborate your story.
Call Your Insurance
After talking with the police and recording every detail about the accident, you’re ready to call your insurance. This is where an unfortunate incident can turn into a real nightmare. When dealing with your insurance, be sure to get the car valued properly. Not all insurance companies will use the same calculations to arrive at the value of your car post-accident, but most use something that is called the 17c formula (a set of calculations that never favor the owner of the vehicle). This can lead to a huge headache down the road (like whiplash but for your wallet).
Seek Legal Advice
This last step is for your own good. If there is an injury that develops later or if the insurance company is lowballing the value of your car, it can feel like everything is turning against you. It’s always smart to know what options you have. And by connecting with an accident and injury lawyer, you won’t have a bad situation turn wors