What to do after you’re injured in a car accident
Please note - this blog is written for people who have been injured in motor vehicle accidents in Victoria, Australia.
Steps to Take After an Accident
It happens any number of ways.
Maybe you’ve been rear-ended at a set of lights. Maybe someone ran a red light, or maybe an animal jumped into your path, and you came off the road. Everyone’s story is different, and each traumatic in their own way.
There is no one “right thing to do” after an accident – but the following guide might be useful to figure out what is right for you in what can be a challenging time.
First, if you’re injured and you haven’t already done so, you should seek medical attention with your general practitioner or at a hospital. Even if you didn’t need an ambulance after your accident, that doesn’t mean you didn’t suffer injuries - maybe serious ones. Sometimes, the adrenaline of an accident can disguise pain that only comes on in the days after. I strongly recommend you check up with your doctor after an accident. Remember to check in on your mental health as well, and talk to your doctor about counselling, or other services, if you think it might be helpful.
Second, if the police did not attend your accident, you should report it to police. If you don’t, you might not be able to receive compensation for any injuries you’ve suffered. You might also have difficulty getting your insurance company to pay for any damage to your car.
Seeking Compensation
Third, you’ll need to sort out who is paying for the damage to your vehicle, and any other vehicles in the accident. If you have comprehensive insurance, the insurance company will sort this out for you. If you have third party only, you may need to discuss who was at fault in the accident. I can assist you if there is a dispute.
Fourth, you should make a TAC claim. The TAC (Transport Accident Commission) can pay for various services, including medical expenses required due to your accident, and in some cases, lost wages or other entitlements (find out more here). A TAC claim must be made within one year of your accident, but I strongly recommend lodging a claim right away.
TAC claims are my area of expertise. If you need any assistance in lodging your claim, or want to discuss what sort of entitlements you might have access to, contact me today to arrange a no-obligation consultation.
Written by Scott Millington, principal lawyer at Millington Legal
