Business trips are often jam-packed with meetings in different locations and a lot of travel time. With a hectic schedule like this, it is likely that you are on the road a lot, either driving a rental car or riding around in taxis. This increased time on the road could make you more likely to get in a car accident as you are traveling from the place. If you have recently been in a car accident during a business trip, or you fear that you will be and want to be prepared, check out the guide below that will walk you through what to do after a car accident.
Check For Injuries
In the immediate moments after a car accident, check your body to make sure that you do not have any cuts from flying glass or any other injuries from the impact. Once you have checked yourself over, tend to other passengers in the car if there are any. If anyone is injured, don’t try to move them and wait for the ambulance to come. If the accident is severe enough, there may be some people with head injuries who are knocked out. If you are one of these people and you come to a few moments later, try not to move either as you could have a spinal injury. If it is possible, reach for a cell phone and dial emergency services.
Contact Emergency Services
If you were in a collision with another vehicle, it is likely that others on the road saw the accident and have called the authorities, but if you are waiting a while or you are in a rural area with not many other cars passing by, then the responsibility to call emergency services may be in your hands. It is important to note that if you are going on a business trip to a foreign country, then you should memorize the emergency services number before your trip, just in case you will need is for circumstances like this.
Once emergency services are called, the best thing you can do is wait. If you are uninjured and helping tend to those who are, you should also check the car and start taking photos of the damage. This will be extremely helpful when it comes to dealing with insurance companies and legal matters.
If you know that the accident was not your fault, you should definitely take as many photos of the scene as possible as well as write down an account of what happened on your phone while it is still fresh in your mind. You can then contact experienced car accident attorneys in Denver who can help walk you through what you need to do to make sure you get compensation for any injuries or damages caused by the other driver. You do not need to contact a lawyer right away, but if you have a lot of downtime as you are being treated in the hospital or waiting to be given a new form of transportation to finish your business trip, then calling an attorney to start your compensation process in the days following the accident is a good idea.
Swap Information with Parties Involved
In the aftermath of the accident, as the police are taking a record of what happened and everyone is gaining their footing again, it is important not to forget to exchange information with everyone who was involved in the crash. This can sometimes be a tricky situation, especially if there is clearly someone in the wrong, but if everyone is acting amicably, then it should be safe to ask. With the authorities present, this process might just happen naturally. When police arrive after an accident, they will ask for identification from all drivers involved and take witness statements, so you might not even have to ask to swap information because it will all be recorded.
Contact Your Employer
As this accident has occurred during a business trip, it is important that one of the first calls you make is to your employer to let them know what has happened. If your boss is with you on this business trip, they will likely be able to drive to you and pick you up from the scene once you are cleared to go or they can meet you at the hospital if you are being treated for severe injuries.
Your employer can help you through your car accident by offering support and changing schedules as needed. They may even be able to rebook you a flight home if you are too injured to continue the business trip. If the car accident was minor, they could at least arrange to get you a new rental car so that you can continue your trip after this hiccup. Your company may have certain protocols already in place for incidents like this, so you will have to follow their instructions to get you back on your feet and going with meetings.
File A Claim
In the days after the accident, you will have to contact your insurance company and file a claim. This may include both your personal insurance and business insurance so that you are fully covered. This is especially important if you now have big medical bills for services like ambulance and hospital stays. This is also the time to contact an attorney if you are having trouble getting compensation from your insurance company or if the person who hit you is being uncooperative.
To get compensation for your injuries or lost business due to this accident, you may have to fight for it. With a good law team on your side, you will have support and get justice in due time.
Being involved in an accident of any kind is scary, but when it is on a business trip it can be even more stressful with meetings being missed and clients being disappointed. The repercussions of a car crash during a business trip transcend personal cost or injury because many other people are affected by this disturbance. Follow this guide to be prepared for the unfortunate event of a car crash during your business trip so that you can get back to doing business as soon as possible.
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