Having a car accident in the snow is quite an inconvenient situation. Here are the steps you can take to resolve this issue.

Get Everyone's Insurance Info

While you're at the scene of the accident, get everyone's insurance information and take the names and numbers of witnesses. That's especially important if it's a multi-car pile-up, where determining who is at fault can be difficult. Determining fault during a snow storm can be tricky, since many cars may be behaving erratically due to slick road conditions.

Taking photos of the road conditions and the scene can also help build a case for external factors at play, in case you are determined as partly responsible for the accident.

Get Your Car Checked

When you are part of a road accident in the winter, it's a good idea to get your car checked out to ensure that it's ready for icy road conditions. For example, your brakes may work fine in the summer, but they don't have enough traction to stop on winter roads. If you had low visibility at the time of the accident, then consider replacing your windshield wiper blades so that they do a cleaner job. Basically, have your mechanic check out the entire car and any systems that were at play during your accident.

Consider Insurance vs. Personal Injury

The final thing to do is decide whether you want to pursue an insurance claim or a car accident lawyer. You could start the insurance claim and then start on a lawsuit as well, since this will take more time.

A car accident lawyer is a good idea as long as a few conditions are met. First of all, you should not be the person at fault in a two-person accident or pile-up. Second, your injuries should be significant to warrant the time it takes to file a lawsuit. For example, a sprain that heals quickly is probably not worth a lawsuit, but a spinal injury that causes permanent damage would be.

The advantage of a lawsuit is that you can consider many more issues in the courtroom than in an insurance claim. For example, a judge would be able to evaluate the physical and emotional pain caused by your injury. They would then multiply the tangible losses, such as car damage and medical bills, by a certain multiplier depending on the severity of the pain. In short, a lawsuit is the best way to get comprehensive compensation for an accident.

For more information, speak with professionals such as True Guarnieri Ayer LLP.