If your employees drive or ride in vehicles as part of their work, you have to be prepared to deal with what happens when they are out on the road because it will directly impact your company.
Injuries suffered by employees in road crashes while on the clock are work-related and compensable under workers’ compensation laws. You will also be liable for damages to third parties caused by your employees.
The good news is that taking the right steps can help ensure that you are on top of the situation when an accident occurs.
Important Steps to Take When Employees Get Into an Accident
Call the Police
It is important to prepare your employees beforehand about what to do in an accident. The most important thing your employees need to have in mind is the importance of calling the police after an accident.
Calling the police helps create a proper timeline of the events following an accident which is critical for building a case. Also, the police usually document the scene and write a report based on their findings. The police reports are public documents accessible from a police station and can help the involved parties determine liability.
Get Your Employee Medical Help
Often, a call to the police will also bring an ambulance to the accident scene. If your driver is seriously injured, they will most likely get help at the scene and then be moved to an ER.
If they aren’t severely injured, they may have the discretion of choosing to go to the ER or not.
If they choose not to, it is important to make them see the need and ensure they go for a medical checkup.
Getting medical help soon after an accident helps eliminate the chances of deterioration of injuries that may not be apparent at the scene. Also, medical records and bills are critical in determining the value of your claim in terms of economic and non-economic damages.
Get Advice from a Car Accident Attorney
As a business person, having an established relationship with a lawyer is important because you will have far too many situations that may require advice from a lawyer. So, it would make perfect sense to have a lawyer on call.
A corporate lawyer may not be the best option for cases involving car accidents. So you may need to reach out to a car auto accident attorney like Michael T. Gibson, who specializes in car accidents and has deep insights into all car accident dynamics.
Gather Evidence from the Scene
After an accident, the other side will probably document the scene to help build their case. Therefore, train your employees about scene documentation beforehand. Scene documentation involves taking pictures and recording video footage of the scene.
This evidence can help your team build their case from your perspective rather than depend on the other side’s perspective. While at the scene, your employees may collect witness testimonies, their contact information, and the other party’s contact information. If the other party is a driver, they may need to get their insurance information.
Contact Your Insurer
Insurance companies require their clients to notify them immediately if they are in a situation involving them. So ensure you notify your insurer at the earliest possible. Contacting your insurance company at the earliest possible allows them to get a handle on the situation as soon as possible, which can help create a strong case where needed.
Even when your employee is not liable for the accident, it is always important to notify your insurer. Failure to report can void your insurance contract if an insurance policy has a clause requiring you to notify them of all work-related incidents.
