Although I've never personally been in a wreck while on an assignment or during company time, I did once have my rear bumper clipped by a fast-moving vehicle on way home from work. I was in the middle of a Los Angeles intersection back in 1993, and I still have a vivid recollection of spinning around, hanging onto the steering wheel, and thinking, "Nice knowing everyone."
So I can imagine what being in a car wreck during company hours must be like, especially if the vehicle belongs to the business you work for. In those fleeting seconds and the minutes afterward, you're not just going to wonder about your own health, but how this collision is likely to impact your career.
So if you ever are in a wreck on the job, what should you do? We caught up with an industry expert, to get her take.
Here's your step-by-step action plan...
1- We don't need to tell you the first thing you need to do if you're in a wreck while on the job, but we will, anyway --
survey your surroundings. Never mind the car -- are you hurt? Is someone else? Do what you need to do to make sure you or anyone else near you are as safe and healthy as possible.
2-
Call the police. That is, if there's been any serious damage to the car, and especially if another vehicle was involved. "This is important," stresses Celia Santana, a 20-year insurance veteran who runs an insurance brokerage,
Personal Risk Management Solutions, headquartered in New York City. "Make sure you tell your version of the story first hand and get a copy of the police report."
Regarding that police report, I pointed out to Ms. Santana that a lot of people -- including myself -- wouldn't necessarily have the presence of mind to ask for a police report. And can we even ask for a copy of the report at the scene of the accident, and why do we need it, anyway?
"A person involved in a car accident would want to see the report to make sure that his or her version of the incident is recorded accurately," says Santana. "That being said, you can't typically get the report at the scene, but you can ask how and when you will be able to obtain the report. The police officer will usually give you a phone number or address and a report number. Reports are typically available within two days."
Not surprisingly, the report matters because the insurance company will need to see it, although if you were at fault, since your rates are likely to go up, it's understandable if you're not as eager to get it.
3-
Call your office, suggests Santana. That may seem like the absolute last thing you want to do, especially if the car isn't yours but a company-owned vehicle. In fact, the prudent course of action might seem to be to invite your boss out for a couple -- maybe several -- drinks and then eventually, as you're laughing uproariously at some inane comment someone's made, casually mention what happened.
But Santana recommends that calling your office is one of the first things you should do. As she points out, an accident report "can take a couple of hours to handle, even if it's a small incident, so you will likely be tied up longer than you anticipated."
4- If you have a seemingly minor injury that you haven't started to address until now, now's the time to go to the hospital, if you're not already en route. "It's important," says Santana, "to document any injuries sustained as soon as possible." About that time, adds Santana, you should "notify the insurance company, which will help you with the next steps, like getting an estimate for repairs and getting a rental car if necessary."
On that last point, you will definitely want to contact your insurance agent, and your human resources person, if your company has one. Your insurance situation is about to get very complicated.
Kevin P. Foley can tell you that. In 1990, he found himself in the type of situation nobody wants to find himself: behind the wheel, crashing into a truck.
He was wearing his seat belt when a van passed a truck that had just given Foley the right of way and then proceeded to head straight for him. The van hit Foley's red 1986
Alpha Romeo "Graduate," which then crashed into the truck. The van kept going and didn't stop. Nevertheless, Foley was deemed at fault.
"I'll never forget that car," says Foley, dreamily, who now owns the family business that he then worked for -- PFT&K Insurance Brokers. "I loved that car. I polished it the day before. I polished it every weekend, because I was single and had a lot of time on my hands." -- Just to give you a sense of what you may be in for, if you're ever in a work-related accident, Foley says that the following insurance policies of his were affected:
- His auto policy -- physical damage, property damage liability, bodily injury liability.
- His office workers compensation.
- His office's general liability and/or commercial auto liability.
- His personal umbrella policy was affected, since his personal auto policy had been triggered.
- His office umbrella policy, since the company's commercial auto and general liability policy was triggered.
Still, while insurance is complicated, Foley's story does speak to why it's important to have it. He wasn't financially ruined, thanks to his and his company's coverage. It's ironic, but when it comes to money, it's actually better to lose your car, than your shirt.
Geoff Williams is a frequent presence on AOL Small Business and often writes for Entrepreneur Magazine, among other publications.
