Most car accidents end with damage to your car. In Kentucky, you have to report a car accident that causes over $500 of damage, but the average economic cost of property damage per vehicle in an accident is $4,500. When there’s that much damage done to your vehicle, you might not be able to drive it away from the scene of the accident. In that case, you’ll need to call a tow truck.
After an auto wreck that wasn’t your fault, you could use legal support from a Lexington car accident lawyer so you can recover the cost of damages from the driver or company responsible for the collision. You shouldn’t have to pay for your tow, mechanical bills, or any other costs from an accident that you didn’t cause. At the Law Office of Todd W. Burris, we’re here to help you get justice.
What to Do After a Car Accident
Before you do anything after your car accident, make sure you are moved to the side of the road and out of the flow of traffic. You don’t want to be in harm’s way while you’re trying to contact the proper authorities because it can make your accident worse. As always with a car accident, the first thing you should do is make sure you are safe before you make any calls. Then you can call emergency services and a tow company.
Here are some of the steps you should take after a car accident that caused enough damage to your vehicle that you need a tow:
- Call the police before a tow truck. Since your car was damaged enough to need a tow, you legally need to report the accident to the police since it most likely will be greater than $500 worth of damage. You want to call the police before a tow truck because you need your car to stay at the scene until the police get there so they can get an accurate report and collect all the evidence they need. A police report also helps you have proof further down the road if you need it.
- Take pictures of your car and the scene before your car is towed. Before the tow truck company clears your car from the scene of the accident, you want to get as many pictures of the damages and scene as possible. Make sure you take pictures of your own car, its location, and its damages as well as the other car’s location and damages, any road obstructions, and any weather that could have contributed to the accident.
- Be hesitant to use a tow truck that shows up before you called a tow. Sometimes tow trucks will happen upon your car accident and offer help. This could mean they were genuinely in the area and want to help, or they could be driving around just to find accidents and scam victims. If your insurance company or the police did not call the tow truck to the scene, they are most likely trying to scam you, so don’t accept their services.
- If your insurance company has preferred towing companies, use one of them. While you’re on the scene, you can call your insurance company to report your accident. While on the phone with them, you can ask if they have deals or agreements with any towing companies so the service is covered by your policy. You can even have your insurance company reach out to the towing company for you so you don’t have to deal with reaching out to anybody else after your accident.
- Get a receipt from the tow company. Once you’ve chosen a tow company who you can trust, you’ll want to get an itemized invoice of all charges associated with the tow. If it’s covered by your insurance, you should be able to file this in your insurance claim. Or if you end up filing a car accident claim against the driver who caused the collision, the cost could be included in compensation from the responsible driver.
The Law Office of Todd W. Burris Is Here for You
Car accident costs can be a lot to handle, especially when they’re not your fault. Even though Kentucky is a no-fault state, you might want to file an auto wreck claim. Our experienced Lexington car accident lawyer at the Law Office of Todd W. Burris can guide you through the process and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Let us handle the legal side of things to help you recover financially while you focus on recovering physically and emotionally from your accident. Contact our office today and we can discuss your options and get started on your claim right away.
