The minutes and hours following an accident at your place of business will be some of the most expensive time you’ll ever have to pay for unless you follow some basic procedures. As with any accident, you need to take immediate steps to protect yourself and your enterprise from unnecessary financial liability. Here are some of the steps you should consider.
What may not seem relevant at the moment will become relevant four months later when an efficient and accurate recollection of the facts surrounding the accident will be of vital importance. If you are facing potential litigation or an insurance dispute, being able to properly reconstruct the scene will be incredibly useful.
Make notes of what took place, dates, times of day, names, titles, and relationships. Who was in charge? Who wasn’t? Who got there first? Why? This information may be necessary to refute witnesses who become a little too creative with their future testimony.
Every piece of paper related to the accident should be dated and signed and forwarded to your attorney as soon as possible. A second copy should be stored off-site so nothing is misplaced.
If your accident involves a motorized vehicle of any kind, you will likely need to file a police report. Make absolutely certain all relevant laws are followed so you don’t unwittingly put your insurance coverage at risk. Be sure to follow best practices for an accident scene. See to everyone’s safety first. Then get everyone’s paperwork, name, and contact information.
Consult a qualified attorney at once and have them make the report to your insurance company. This will prevent any unnecessary disputes over your coverage.
Now that everyone is carrying a portable television station around in their pocket, accidents and other potential reasons for litigation have become much easier to manage. Without putting too fine a point on it, you should photograph everything you possibly can at an accident scene. Start with everyone’s paperwork and move on to the road, floor, furniture arrangement, lighting, weather and any surveillance equipment like cameras, card readers or security doors.
Photograph all the damage visible at the scene, and do so from as many angles as possible. Be sure to use the best possible lighting, so you don’t miss any small details. Use a high-resolution camera if you can and take as many pictures as you possibly can. You have virtually unlimited “film,” so there is no reason to be choosy when it comes to what to record.
The key to navigating an accident situation is to make sure you have all the most relevant information in the hands of an attorney like Loughlin Fitzgerald P C. Don’t make any statements at the scene, and don’t sign anything until your attorney looks it over. This will help you avoid unnecessary risks.
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