Driving on roadways today is nothing compared to what it was like years ago. Although operating a motor vehicle has always carried some sort of risk with it, drivers today are much more susceptible to engaging in a wreck today than they were ever before. One of the reasons why is because there are many more distractions that capture the attention of our drivers. Aside from cell phones playing a major role in many of the car wrecks that occur today, vehicles themselves have the tendency to distract a driver as most are now equipped with the latest technology.
The fact is, these distractions and others have led to various types of crashes occurring. Some of the drivers who glance down at their phone often drift off the roadway or into a lane where oncoming traffic is traveling. Others rear-end the vehicle in front of them as they failed to witness traffic had stopped while they were looking down at their cellphone screen. Aside from these types of collisions, distracted drivers also cause drivers to run off the roadway as they attempt to move out of the way of the inattentive driver to avoid a wreck. And when this happens, many are often left frustrated and confused as they don’t know what to do or who to hold accountable when their vehicle was the only one that sustained damage.
So, to help you better understand what to do in this type of situation, below we are outlining a few steps you may want to take in the event a driver has run you off the roadway, causing you to engage in a single-vehicle accident.
I was run off the road by another driver. What should I do now?
- After moving either your vehicle or yourself to a safe place, you will want to call 911 and report it to police. It is important that you try and remember anything you can about the driver who ran you off the roadway as this will assist police in catching them and ticketing them. The Balance highlights that by calling the police, you are also getting the incident on record so that in the event you caused damage to someone else’s property, you are not legally at-fault for causing it.
- Assess the damage done to your vehicle. After running off the roadway, it is likely your vehicle sustained some sort of damage. However, it the other vehicle did not make any contact with yours, you can expect that your insurer will require you to file a claim through your collision coverage, given you have purchased this under your policy. Now, if you have identified the other driver or they stopped to admit fault, then you can file a claim through their insurer so that you can get your vehicle repaired.
- Look for witnesses. If someone was present for the crash, it would a good idea to speak with them to see if they can provide you with any information regarding the vehicle that caused you to run off the road. Depending on what they saw could help you identify who this person was and potentially hold them liable for the damage they have caused.
- Did you suffer any injuries? If you did, it is important that you seek medical treatment right away. Now, when it comes to the claims process, in order to get your medical expenses covered, you may be permitted to file a claim through your uninsured motorist coverage. To find out if you can recoup the compensation for the injuries the accident caused through your own insurance, it is best you contact a lawyer who can better explain this to you. If police were able to identify the driver or they did, in fact, stop, then you will want to write down their contact and insurance information so that the claim can be filed through their policy.
Being run off the roadway is a scary experience that no one should ever have to go through. Unfortunately, the claims process can become rather difficult to get through, especially if the other driver failed to stop or wasn’t aware they caused your vehicle to go off the road. Therefore, to ensure your claim is handled promptly and fairly, it is best you let Nashville, TN car wreck attorney George R. Fusner, Jr. assist you with the process.
Dealing with insurance companies can be frustrating and the last thing you need right now is to take on any more stress than you may already be feeling. So, give us a call and let us handle the matter so that you can focus on recovering and getting your life back on track.
You can reach the Law Office of George R. Fusner, Jr. at
7104 Peach Court
Brentwood, TN 37027
Phone- 615-251-0005
Fax- 615-370-8447
