Accidents while Traveling are Common; Here’s what to Expect
Christmas and the New Year are both rapidly approaching. While travel is down quite a bit this year, there will be a number of families heading out of town to meet up with loved ones. But what if you’re involved in a car accident while traveling?
Driving in a new city or state means that you’re unfamiliar with the roads. The result is that you’re more likely to be involved in a car accident than when you’re cruising around in your home town. Never fear, these things aren’t quite as daunting as they may seem!
Herbert & Eberstein have laid out what you should do if you’re in a wreck away from home.
Immediate Steps after being in a Car Accident
No matter if the accident happens in front of your house, across town, or across the country, the steps are always the same to follow.
Call the Police – Filing a police report right away is how you ensure that all the details are recorded properly.
Seek Medical Attention – If you’re injured, have your injuries attended to right away. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to seek full compensation for them.
Swap Insurance Information – Often wrecks are little more than fender benders; especially if nobody needs medical attention. No matter what, be sure to swap insurance information.
File a Claim with Your Insurance Company – If you had to go to the hospital, you need to speak with a car accident attorney right away. If this was a simple crash that just did damage to vehicles, then file a claim just as you would any other time.
Call Herbert & Eberstein – We can chat about your car accident while traveling, and see if you need an attorney to help you collect compensation. Contact us, and we can chat about it.
Have Your Car Repaired – If your vehicle isn’t drivable, you will need to either have it transported back to your home town, or have it fixed where you are. Obviously there are some hurdles since you probably can’t wait 4-6 weeks for repairs. If your insurance company isn’t playing nice, then we should chat.
A straight forward car accident is handled just like it would be at home. Your insurance will cover you no matter what state you are in.
What if I Need a Car Accident Attorney?
Many accidents, however, aren’t as clear. What if your accident results in injury or death? What if you are involved in an accident with a semi-truck or other commercial vehicle?
There are two scenarios here: one if you’re still in the state and another if you are out of state.
Accidents that happened in Texas – Herbert & Eberstein can handle car accident cases in Texas and Oklahoma. It doesn’t matter if you were involved in the wreck in the Dallas area, in El Paso, or in Houston, as long as you were in state, we have your back.
Accidents that happened outside of Texas – If you are traveling to an area outside of where Zach and Brian are licensed to practice, we should still chat! There are special considerations when working jointly with Herbert & Eberstein and working with an attorney where the accident occurred.
No matter where the accident happened, your first step is to get in touch with us and we can figure out the best course of action.
How does my Claim Work from Afar?
If you have a claim started in a different state, you may end up having to travel back to wherever the claim was initiated to give your statements.
Don’t worry, this usually only has to happen once. So when it comes time, you aren’t making multiple trips trying to get it settled.
Since a lot of everything has moved online this year, depending on the court system you may even be able to appear via the web instead of traveling to the area where your case is being heard.
The bottom line: it’s going to be a bit more work on everyone’s part to ensure you receive the compensation that you deserve. And the insurance companies aren’t going to make it easy on you. That is why you need a great car accident attorney on your side.
Let’s Chat about Your Car Accident
Herbert & Eberstein have a great track record of helping people find the justice that they deserve. When things are looking bleak, you can be assured that your car accident case will be handled quickly, and you will receive what you need to fully compensate you for your loss.
No matter if you’re at home, or in a car accident while traveling, call 214-414-3808 and let’s talk about what needs to be done.