
First step:
After an accident, it is very important to make sure yourself and the other people in the vehicle are safe, in case of no major or life-threatening injuries, exit the vehicle and stay clear of the passing vehicles, call for emergency help as required.
Second step:
It is very important to note down the necessary information provided below after an accident which will help you communicate and convey the necessary information to ICBC and the health professional concerned.
Once making sure there are no major and life-threatening injuries, make sure to record the information below:
1) Share personal information with the other parties that are involved in the accident as this information needs to be shared with ICBC. Information includes, noting down the license plate number, taking down the name of the person who was driving, taking a photo of their drivers license etc.
2) Look or ask for any witnesses which will be helpful to rule out who is at fault.
3) Take as many photos and video clips of the incident from different angles to use it as evidence of the accident. It will also help ICBC to understand the nature of the accident.
4) Note down the location information on where it happened, example like, the intersection, road you are on, if it is in a parking lot etc, time of the accident
5) Details of the accident on how it happened examples like singe vehicle, two vehicle or multiple vehicle incident, rear end, side impact, impact while changing lanes, incident in a parking lot while backing out of the your parking spot, hit and run etc which will be helpful to determine who is at fault.
6) Were you able to drive the involved vehicle after the accident or did you have to tow it which may be helpful to evaluate the extent of the damage to your vehicle and your body.
7) What was the purpose of your trip at the time whether it is personal, work related, riding with a friend or in a taxi etc which can be helpful for the insurance companies like ICBC and WSBC to decide who has to cover the claim
8) What was the outcome of the accident on your body, examples like: were you conscious, were you dizzy, were there any open wounds, were there any bruises, did you experience instant pain anywhere on your body, were you able to get out of the vehicle yourself or did you need help, were you able to stand and walk around or did you have to sit, did you have to go to emergency or seek medical help after the accident. Take photos of any visible injuries on your body. This information will be helpful for the health professional to understand the impact of the accident on your body.
Third step:
Call or make an online claim with ICBC to report the accident and provide all the required details that were described in step two. ICBC will provide you with two claim numbers, one for your vehicle which can be used at a body shop for repairs and the other claim number will be used to seek medical or therapeutic help for your bodily injuries.
Fourth step:
Contact your trusted therapist office to initiate services like Physiotherapy, Registered Massage Therapy, Acupuncture, Chiropractor, Active Rehabilitation etc to help you recover from your physical injuries.
Under the new ICBC care plan, it is not required for you to see your medical doctor to get a referral to initiate the above treatments, however we recommend consulting your medical doctor to report your injuries, so the doctor is aware of your accident and the injuries. Your doctor will be the team leader and all the professionals that are involved in your care share the information with your doctor.
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