The content of the article:
- Your actions after an accident
- Calling traffic police officers
- Calling insurance company employees
- Alternative option
- Legal liability
The modern world can hardly be called ideal - many seek to succeed in negligence, deception or even fraud for profit. An accident is no exception. On the contrary, road accidents happen every day and you need to be very careful and careful not to fall into the trap of unclean comrades on your own.
Let's consider the algorithm of actions in case of an accident:
- Your actions after an accident;
- Calling traffic police officers;
- Calling employees of the insurance company;
- Alternative option;
- Legal responsibility.
Your actions after an accident
First of all, let us dwell on your actions if you are involved in a traffic accident. First you need to try to calm down. Yes, an accident is not the most pleasant pastime and entails enormous stress, but this is not a reason to make wrong decisions, the consequences of which will be dire.
If there are victims in an accident who need help, call an ambulance immediately. If there is no possibility of a quick arrival of the medical team, take the victims yourself to the nearest hospital, carefully recording the circumstances of the incident. In the age of mobile gadgets and modern technology, it won't take much of your time - you just need to take just a couple of pictures.
When the victims are taken to the hospital, return to the scene, trying not to change anything there so that the traffic police can present a picture of the incident. It is possible to vacate the carriageway only if you have the following documents:
- Photos and a diagram of the accident site, which will need to be signed by all its participants;
- Testimony of witnesses, eyewitnesses and the participants in the accident;
- Other data that will help traffic police officers make a decision.
Calling traffic police officers
If you are a victim of an accident, the culprit may offer some kind of financial compensation to do without the traffic police. Should you agree to such a deal? You can be wrong when calculating your damage and you will be left in the red. Therefore, after such an agreement, you will no longer be able to contact the insurance company for material compensation.
If you are the culprit of the traffic police, the victim may offer you to give him a certain amount and disperse. Just keep in mind that in the future he can write a statement to the traffic police and complain about you that you fled the scene. And this is already fraught with deprivation of rights and significant financial costs.
To prevent this from happening, draw up a European protocol with another participant in the accident, if the damage is minor, or call the traffic police yourself. Even if you are the culprit of the accident, it is possible that the second driver moved without driving license, or in a state of alcoholic or drug intoxication and will also be punished.
When the traffic police officer draws up the protocol, carefully re-read it several times and only then put your signature if you agree with the stated. Otherwise, you will not be able to prove anything.
Calling insurance company employees
And here you can easily fall for the tricks of insurance agents. Their task is to reduce insurance payments as little as possible, and they will go out of their way to achieve this.
- The easiest way to do this is to exhaust the client with paper “adventures”. Of course, slogans and advertising signs encourage you to believe in the speed of receiving insurance payments, but in reality you will have to knock your money out with sweat and blood.
- Insurance employees can significantly reduce the damage caused in an accident, while reducing the payment several times. The insurance agent will conduct a superficial inspection of the vehicle and insist on the effectiveness of its work. An independent damage assessment will help you in this situation.
Alternative option
An alternative option is to call an expert from an independent legal company to assess the damage received in an accident. What are the pros and cons of this option?
The main plus is that this organization will not be associated with an insurance company, which means you can count on the experts to be right. Their business is designed to attract as many customers as possible, which means that damage assessment will be very scrupulous. After all, if they can achieve the maximum insurance payment for their client, this will positively affect the company's reputation, providing it with even a small advertisement. The client will recommend the organization to his friends and in the future will also ask for help if a similar situation arises.
Does it make sense to call an independent expert if you are the culprit in the accident? If only the amount estimated by the insurance company exceeds the maximum payment for the insurance. This means that the difference will have to be paid out of pocket.
The option of collusion between the victim and the insurance employees is also not excluded. It is not uncommon for participants in an accident to stick artificial cracks and scratches in order to increase payments by the guilty party. An independent damage assessment will help in this situation.
The disadvantage of this option is the need to pay for the services of independent experts. However, it is better to spend a little to end up in the black.
Legal liability
I would like to dwell a little on legal responsibility in an accident. Under no circumstances leave the scene of the accident, even if you are not the culprit - this immediately leads to the deprivation of your driver's license for up to two years. You can also not count on insurance payments in this situation, since absolutely all insurance companies have a clause on non-refund of payments if the participant moved without driving rights, was intoxicated or fled the scene of an accident. Only, if it is necessary to take the victims to the hospital or to clear the roadway, first take a picture of the accident scene and return there as soon as possible.
Should you call the traffic police or solve the issue yourself if you are the culprit of the accident? It already depends on the amount required by the victims. If it is, in your opinion, too high - call DPS. If the victim tries to provoke you into a fight or insults you, call the DPS. Calling a traffic police officer, you will greatly simplify your life. In case of a minor offense, you will get off with a fine and be able to continue driving, and the victim will go to the insurance company to knock out his payment.
The main thing to learn is in case of an accident, strive to remain vigilant and composure... This will save you from wrong decisions, as well as save you from unnecessary financial costs.
