Traffic Accident: What’s Next?

There is not much you will find on the roads that can be as scary as having a traffic accident. No one ever expects it, which in itself is alarming, but if the car accident is significant, a look at a wrecked vehicle you were riding in just moments before can be quite sobering. That is why you will often see so much anguish on the faces of those who have just experienced an accident. Even after the initial adrenaline rush created by the fear of injury wears off, the sensory overload experienced by an accident victim does not end there. Next, you must work through the emotion triggered by the realization that the chaos has just begun. This is when a little guidance on what to do next can be invaluable.

First things first: make sure all the vehicles involved are not injured. Obviously, if someone has been injured, call 9-1-1. Even if no one is injured, you will need to call the police at the scene of the accident. You need to make sure they are called in even in the slightest of accidents to make sure your insurance covers your claim and that no one can accuse you of improperly leaving the scene.

Once they arrive, you can be sure that you will have to speak to one or more police officers, therefore, before the police arrive, you need to start weighing your words very carefully. When checking the occupants of any other vehicle, you must ensure that you do not make any statement that could be construed as an admission that you are responsible for the accident. That will be determined by the police officer when you arrive. As such, you also want to keep a close eye on what you say to the police officer when you arrive because you don’t want him to use anything you can say to issue a traffic ticket.

Florida is a no-fault state. That means any damage to either vehicle is covered by the individual driver’s insurance company. Even though this is the case, the officer can still issue you a traffic ticket for any offense they believe you may have committed that led to the traffic accident. When talking to the officer, less is more. Be brief and concise to ensure that your description of the accident does not incriminate you. It is also a good idea to try not to accuse the other driver. Emotions rise when people are involved in a car accident and accusations can quickly turn into an unpleasant situation.

Once everyone has been checked and the police called, it is imperative that you move the involved vehicles to the side of the road. This is to prevent further accidents or injury to yourself or others. Obviously, you don’t want to stray too far from where the accident occurred because you don’t want it to look like you’re trying to “leave the scene.”

Make sure you always carry your insurance information with you and, if you are involved in a traffic accident, be prepared to exchange your personal and insurance information with the other driver. You should also make sure you get the other driver’s name, phone number, address, and insurance information, as well as an incident report number from the responding officer.

Next, you need to call your insurance company and provide them with the details of the traffic accident and the information you have obtained from the other driver. The more information you can provide them, the faster they can resolve your claim. Failure to inform them within a reasonable period of time may result in them refusing to cover the damages. An important point about insurance companies: the other party’s insurance company may call you and ask for a statement about the events that occurred. They will record your statement in the hope that you will give them the reason for not paying the claim. It is a very bad idea to agree to speak with the other person’s insurance company. That would be a good time to tell them that you are represented by a good traffic ticket attorney and then give them our number.

Traffic accidents are often costly, even when the vehicles are covered by auto insurance. First, you have to pay your insurance deductible, which is usually $ 250 or $ 500, but could be $ 1,000 or more, depending on the insurance company insuring the car and the type of coverage the driver selects when he or she is selecting your insurance. Naturally, these costs increase once you are in a car accident because most insurance companies quickly increase your insurance rates, usually by hundreds of dollars per year, if you file a claim for a car accident.

In addition to the cost of increasing insurance rates and having to pay a hefty deductible, there are other financial difficulties that can arise from being in a car accident. If your car is damaged to the point that you can’t drive it and you don’t have car rental coverage, you could possibly lose time from work. This may not be a big problem for someone on a salary, but for hourly employees who have not increased vacation time or comp time, this can seriously affect the paycheck, and when you live by paycheck to check, this can be devastating, especially for families. .

The Florida Highway Patrol responding to accidents basically acts as a reporter for the event and will, in all likelihood, issue you a traffic citation, regardless of who is at fault. Then, of course, there are the costs associated with obtaining a traffic ticket. These costs may vary depending on the reason the driver is cited. For example, many traffic accidents are the result of not yielding, following too closely, or, as is often the case, speeding. Any combination of these actions can be interpreted as “aggressive driving” and are considered traffic offenses and these offenses are punishable by fines and court costs.

If you are one of those drivers who tend to take pride in the fact that you have never been in an accident or haven’t had one in years, be careful. No matter how cautious you are behind the wheel, sometimes it just takes a momentary lapse of judgment or attention for all of that to change. Also, don’t forget that you have no control over the other drivers around you. Aggressive or careless driving tactics by someone else can quickly turn their problem into your problem.

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