Being in a car accident is overwhelming, especially if it’s while you’re working. Your mind is often frazzled, and you don’t know what to do. Having a good understanding of the event and process your employer will take will help you take the correct actions. Whether someone drove into the back of your work car or you knocked over a pedestrian, you need to understand what to do to protect yourself from an unlawful lawsuit from your employer.
Here are the actions you should take after being involved in a car accident at work.
Inform The Right People
After being in an accident, the first thing you should do is to call the police to report it. Similarly, if someone was injured you need to call the ambulance. Tell the other people involved that you called the emergency services. This makes sure that the emergency services aren’t receiving multiple calls for the same incident. Some important information you should tell the respondent for both of these calls are:
- The time of the accident
- The date of the accident
- The location it occurred at
- How many cars and people were involved
- Who was injured and how serious it is
However, you don’t need to call if another person who was involved or witnessed the accident has already called. There are other people you’ll need to contact because it’ll be classed as a work incident, and see this page to get adequate medical attention for your quick recovery and rehabilitation.
Gather Information
It’s crucial to record important information that’ll help your employer with receiving car insurance, and follow the correct legal and work safe procedures. Grab your phone or a notebook to ensure you remember all of the information and that they’re correct. Whether you caused the accident or not, there is key information you need to gather from the other drivers involved. These details are:
- Name
- Driver’s license number
- Car insurance information
- Car registration
Don’t forget to also jot down what time the accident took place, when it happened, and where it occurred. These details will help you and your employer claim insurance. Any missed detail could prevent you from getting the compensation you deserve.
Record The Events
Record the events of the accident while they’re still fresh in your mind. Try writing what happened in a note on your phone, or record yourself explaining the events. It’s important to have a clear recollection of the incident in case your employer needs to know or a legal suit is filed. This is especially important if you caused the car accident, because it’ll ensure there aren’t any mistakes.
The key elements to include in your recording are:
- Who was involved
- What led to the accident
- What the was accident. For example, a car hit your car while stationary
In addition to writing or recording what happened, you should take photos of the accident. Be sure to tale photos of:
- Your car with focus on the damage
- Other cars involved and their damage
- The scene of the accident
Photos of the accident will provide visual evidence that’ll assist with a lawsuit, if one is filed, and with the insurance claim. Consider saving the photos in a new album on your phone and computer to avoid losing them. Take the photos right after the accident, not after cars, people, or other objects had been moved.
Get Legal Advice
You should seek legal advice as soon as you can. This doesn’t mean that you’re at fault, but it’ll help you understand your rights and what actions to take. Your employer will be reviewing the accident and consulting its legal team to see what process to follow. There’s a chance that your employer won’t protect you, even if you weren’t to blame. Consulting a lawyer will prevent you from being mistreated.
Some questions you should ask your lawyer are:
- What should I do now to protect myself?
- What information do I need to provide?
- What’s the worst-case scenario?
- What’s the best-case scenario?
As the events might not escalate to a lawsuit, it’s unlikely you’ll need to keep consulting your lawyer.
Accident Car Replacement
Summing Up
There’s a lot to consider after being in a work-related car accident, but the first thing you should do is call the emergency services. Remember to collect key information from the other drivers and record the events of the accident as soon as possible. Keep in mind that getting legal advice will help you understand your rights and protect you from being mistreated by your employer.