Things To Do After An Auto Or Workplace Accident

An Accident Is Just The Beginning

Whether it's in a vehicle or at your workplace, the right procedures can limit the damage and loss from an accident

By the time an accident occurs, the damage is already done, right?

Not exactly. A company's obligation for safety and loss control includes procedures for handling customer accidents – auto or other – that can help prevent additional injuries while limiting damage and loss. All employees should know what to do following an accident.

Injured customer

Consider the following guidelines when a customer is injured in an accident:

• Attend to the customer.
• Make the injured customer comfortable.
• Call for professional medical help when necessary.
• When at a work site, remove the customer from the sales area, if it can be done without further injury.
• Don't admit fault.

• Protect the scene.
• When possible, secure the area around the accident to prevent others from being hurt.
• Obtain the names of witnesses.
• Take pictures of the area, if appropriate. Do not include anyone involved in the accident.
• If it's at your workplace, begin cleanup and corrective actions to prevent further loss.

• Report the accident.
• Report the accident to the site manager or other appropriate company official as soon as possible.
• If possible, obtain the injured person's version of what happened.
• Try to obtain statements from witnesses while details are fresh.
• Report the accident to your insurance carrier.
• Act quickly – don't delay notification while waiting on more information.

Conducting an accident investigation

Begin investigating as soon as possible after the accident. Consider the following as part of your investigation procedures:

• Examine the accident scene
• Obtain a statement from the injured party
• Interview witnesses
• Review pertinent records or documents
• Review and evaluate your findings
• Determine the cause
• Identify and implement corrective actions

Interviewing witnesses

Witnesses – people with any information about the accident – are among the most important and productive sources of information in an investigation. If possible, interview them after first documenting the injured person's comments about the accident.

To make the most of the interviewing process, consider doing the following:

• Prepare for the interview by reviewing the facts and listing key questions.
• Include witnesses' names, addresses and telephone numbers.
• Interview witnesses as soon as possible after the accident while the facts are still fresh. A witness's recollection may change with time after they have discussed the situation with others.
• Interview witnesses individually.
• Explain the reason for the interview to set the witness at ease.
• Encourage witnesses to talk by using open–ended questions and don't try to guide their answers.
  Basic questions can be:
• Who was involved?
• Where did it happen?
• What happened?
• What caused the accident?
• Let the witnesses tell their story without interruption and then ask questions to clarify the facts.

Help is available

At Allstate, we want to not only provide the insurance coverage that protects your people and property, but to give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing you're backed by a team of Loss Control Consultants who understand your business and can help you prevent a loss before it happens.

That's why we've created the Allstate Safety Line at 800-877-6998, where Loss Control Consultants personally help small–business owners learn more about:

• Fleet and auto safety
• Accident investigations
• Self-inspection procedures
• Safety training
• Fire protection and safety
• Hazard control methods
• Safety and health rules and regulations that apply to your particular business
• Much more

Just call us anytime with your contact information and briefly describe your question or issue. If a trained Loss Control Specialist isn't immediately available, one will call you back by the end of the next business day.