Every day, Ontario residents drive cars, trucks and SUVs and also use public transportation, like the subway, buses, trolleys, etc. Whether it is to drive to work/school or to run errands like going to the store, we rely on these modes of transportation. However, car accidents can and do happen. The unfortunate reality is that many Ontario drivers and passengers do not know what to do after a car accident. Below are 5 simple steps to take after an auto accident.
Related: Ontario Car-Truck Accident Law – Your Legal Rights After Being Injured in an Accident
Call the Police
The first thing injured individuals should do is call the police. If injured individuals do not have a cell phone, they should ask witnesses at the scene to contact the police. Sometimes, drivers and passengers think that the accident is minor and may not realize they have serious injuries because the pain is masked by shock or adrenaline. As a result, they decide not to call the police, but this is a mistake. Some injuries become apparent after a few days. Therefore, it is important to call the police and also obtain the police report.
Gather Contact Information & Take Pictures
Drivers and passengers involved in car accidents in Ontario should also get the contact information of all parties involved or at the scene. This is especially important for witnesses who may leave the accident scene before the police arrive. In the event liability becomes an issue, witnesses may be key in describing how the accident happened and who was at fault.
Further, if there is property damage, drivers and passengers should take pictures of the cars. The pictures may be helpful and used as evidence in a subsequent lawsuit.
Seek Medical Treatment
Sometimes, out of embarrassment or due to inconvenience, injured drivers or passengers may decline medical treatment, only to find that after they go home, the pain/discomfort significantly increases by the next morning or a couple of days after the accident. Therefore, it is important to seek treatment after an accident and follow the advice of the physicians.
Contact Your Car Insurance Company
Ontario car insurance policies provide mandatory accident benefits coverage to insured drivers who are injured in car accidents. Some of the coverage benefits include lost pay or income continuation and medical and rehabilitation benefits. In order to apply for the benefits, injured drivers have 7 days to contact their car insurance companies to report an accident.
Contact a Car Accident Injury Lawyer
Ontario car accident law is very confusing. There are many deadlines injured individuals need to comply with in order to receive accident benefits from their car insurance companies. In addition, injured drivers can also file tort claims or lawsuits against the at fault drivers because accident benefits received from drivers’ own insurance companies may not be enough to fully compensate them, especially when the injuries are serious. Therefore, it is important to contact a car accident lawyer in Ontario if you were in injured in a car accident in Ottawa, Kingston or Whitby. An experienced lawyer can help and make sure important deadlines are met to ensure injured individuals obtain the recovery they are entitled to.
The personal injury car accident lawyers at Bergeron Clifford have 40 years of experience representing injured clients and their loved ones. If you would like to discuss any aspect of your accident and injury, please do not hesitate to call us at 1-866-384-5886.
