Traffic accidents: what to do if you have one?

Every time you get behind the wheel of a car, you are taking a risk. As the leading cause of personal injury and death in the United States, car accidents They can occur in almost any situation and due to countless factors. In this article, we will explain what the most common types of traffic accidents are and what you should do if you suffer one.

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Types of traffic accidents

Traffic accidents are basically classified into two categories: single vehicle accidents and multiple vehicle accidents. However, there are broader classifications used by insurance companies, police reports and personal injury claims to describe the incident that occurred.

rear collision

Rear-end collisions involve the impact of the front of one car against the rear of another. These can vary in severity, property damage, and injuries based on a variety of circumstances, including speed and distance between vehicles. Rear-end collisions are among the most common types of road accidents, accounting for 29.6% of all road accidents in the United Statesaccording to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

side impact

Any accident in which one vehicle hits the side of another is considered a side impact. Also known as "T-bones," side impacts can occur when a car crosses a traffic light and hits the side of a vehicle as it is turning or crossing the intersection. Side impacts can also include single-vehicle accidents if the car hits something like a light pole, for example. The NHTSA reports that 28.9% of road accidents in the United States are side collisions.

frontal collision

Head-on collisions occur when two vehicles collide head-on or when a single vehicle collides head-on with a stationary object. In head-on collisions, there is a high likelihood of injury which can be caused by various situations, including

the detour of a vehicle in oncoming traffic. It is estimated that 2% of road accidents in the United States are head-on collisions.

to roll

A rollover occurs when a vehicle overturns and its side or roof touches or drags the ground. Rollover usually occurs when making sharp turns at high speed, however it can also occur in other circumstances. While any car can be involved in a rollover accident, taller vehicles and SUVs run a greater risk of rollover. The NHTSA reports that 2.3% of road accidents in the United States are rollovers.

Car accident with only one vehicle

There are many types of single-vehicle traffic accidents, and their causes can be different.. Going off the road or road and collisions with stationary objects are just some of the examples we can cite.

Other types of road accidents

Traffic accidents can also be classified according to their causes, where they occur, their reasons, etc.. For example:

• Drunk driving accidents
• hit and run
• Accidents from speeding, reckless or aggressive driving
• Injuries at motorway crossings and level crossings
• road accidents
• Pedestrian and cycling accidents
• Distracted driving accidents, including driving while sending text messages
• Missed injury

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What to do after a car accident?

Check that neither you nor the other passengers are injured

The first thing you should do is check your physical condition and that of the rest of the people who are in the vehicle with you. If you or one of your teammates have been injured, you will need help as soon as possible.

Call 911

Regardless of the severity of the incident, you should report it to the police as soon as possible. In fact, doing so is required by law in some states. When the police approach the scene of the accident, they will prepare a report with all the explanations of what happened. If by any chance the police couldn't come to the scene at that time, you could go to the nearest police station to fill out a traffic accident report. Remember that a copy of the report will usually be needed to report a car accident to the insurer.

Get the data of the other driver

After a car accident, one of the most important things you need to do at the crash scene is to get the other driver's details. This information will be very useful to you.

Request:

• Name, surname and telephone number
• Driving license and license plate number
• Insurance company and policy number
• Vehicle: model and color

Record all the information about the place and the people who are at the scene of the traffic accident

• Take pictures on the scene, take pictures of the two cars from various angles. These images will serve to support your information when making a claim with the insurer
• Get information from police officers about the event, their name and badge number.
• Request a copy of the police report
• If there are any witnesses to the car accident, get their details, names and phone numbers.

call a lawyer

As we have already mentioned, there are different types of road accidents, which can cause serious injury or even death. In these cases, when negligence or fault can be determined, drivers should be held accountable for their actions. Therefore, A traffic accident lawyer will be able to guide you through the steps to follow and can defend your case if necessary.

Report the accident to your insurance agent

Call your insurance agent and explain what happened. Ask about the complaints procedure and requirements so that you or your lawyer can start the procedure as soon as possible.

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How are road accident compensation claims made by insurance companies?

Filing an insurance claim involves completing a claim form, which describes the damage suffered and the compensation required. You will usually need to provide dollar amounts, and you can also include pictures or videos of the damage.

To make a successful claim, it is essential that you fully understand your policy and know its coverage, deductibles and limits.

A road accident compensation claim can be a complicated and somewhat confusing process. There is no one-size-fits-all outcome and how your claim should be handled largely depends on the characteristics of your policy. However, the steps we present below will serve as a guide so that you can get started on your management.

1. Contact the insurance company

The first thing to do is to contact the insurer. If you intend to file a claim with your insurance, you must call the number that appears on your card or report the accident online via the insurance website. To file a third party notification, you must first obtain the insurance details of the other policyholder so that you can contact the company.

In general, you will need to present:

• Full name of the insured
• Policy data: Number, period of validity.
• Date and time of the accident
• Description of the incident
• Driving license numbers
• Registration of the vehicles involved

2. Submit your report to the police

Most likely, the insurance company will ask for the police report number. If you have not been able to obtain the police report on the scene, you can still go to a local police station to request it.

3. Follow-up with the insurance expert

The insurance company will assign an appraiser to your claim. The regulator will most likely contact you for more information. Stick to the facts and avoid speculation when describing what happened. Provide the photos you took at the scene and contact information for any witnesses.

Remember that the conversation will be recorded and used to determine who was the culprit. If you are filing a personal injury claim with the other driver's insurance company, it would be best to speak to your attorney before taking this step.

In addition to gathering information about the incident, the controller will inspect the vehicle for damage or ask you to take the car to a certified workshop that will carry out the inspection.

4. Wait for the controller to complete its work

Your appraiser will consider and evaluate the facts and analyze your policy, inspect the damage and possibly make a down payment.

5. Accept the payment

If you accept the payment as full payment, a release must be signed, thus freeing the insurer from any further obligations.

IMPORTANT: Procedures vary by insurance company and state; If you have any questions, ask your insurance agent or appraiser.

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How long does a claim last per claim?

Keep in mind that the time to resolve a claim per claim depends on several factors and will not be the same in all insurers or in all cases. In any case, to get a clearer idea of ​​how long you might expect, we recommend that you read our article "How long does a claim last"

Remember to file your complaint as soon as possible to avoid negative consequences or penalties.

What can cause a car accident?

Most traffic accidents do not necessarily have to do with knowing how to drive a vehicle, but rather with the decisions the driver makes behind the wheel. Indeed, About 94% of all road accidents are caused by human error.

Among the most common causes of road accidents are:

When does a car tip over?

There are two common reasons cars roll over during an accident. First, drivers can lose control of their vehicles and run off the road; secondly, drivers can engage in risky driving at high speed. While there are other causes of rollover accidents, including collisions with other vehicles or road obstacles, the reasons listed above are the most common. Cars can also roll over due to lack of driver control or while performing risky maneuvers.

How many types of road accidents are there?

There are many types of road accidents, the exact number will depend on the type of classification used. In this article we have mentioned the types of accidents that are used most often in insurance companies and police reports. These are: rear-end collision, side impact, frontal collision, rollover and one-car crash. We can therefore say that According to this type of classification, there are 4 types of traffic accidents or accidents.

What are the most common injuries a person suffers in a car accident?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), More than three million people are injured in traffic accidents in the United States each year. The different injuries of a car accident can vary as much as the individual circumstances of each collision, but there are some types of injuries that are more common than others. Among them are the following:

• Soft tissue injuries (muscles, ligaments and tendons)
• Scratches and cuts
• Head injuries
• chest injuries
• Injuries to the arms and legs

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