If you are involved in a motor vehicle accident with a wild animal and you have suffered injuries ensure you report the accident to the local police service. Things to prepare for include moving your vehicle off the road and turning on your hazard lights. If the animal is still in the roadway, make sure to mention this to the police as the animal may become a hazard to other drivers. Do not approach the animal and do not try to move the animal off the road on your own. If it is safe to do so, you may leave your car and take photos of the scene with your smartphone. Things you will want to capture include any injuries that you sustained, any damage to your vehicle. Include road conditions and surrounding environment as well. If there are any witnesses, make sure to obtain their contact information.
Once you’ve taken care of the immediate details, report the accident to your own insurer as soon as possible. If you suffered injuries, you will need to make a claim to your own insurer. In cases with wildlife you will not be able make a third-party claim (i.e. a claim against another driver), as there was no third party involved. If, however, you were a passenger, you may have a claim against the driver for driving too fast for the conditions, etc.
Section B of your own insurance policy should cover the cost of any necessary treatments and medications. If you are unable to work and need to go on disability, Section B will cover you for up to a maximum of $400.00 per week for up to two years. After two years from the date of the accident, you will be cut off from your Section B benefits.
Other tips to consider.
As an aside, if you see smaller wildlife while you are driving, you should resist the urge to swerve out of the way, as this might lead to more damage and more serious injuries (i.e. swerving dangerously into oncoming traffic). If you swerve and collide with another object or another driver, your insurance company may deem you at fault. If the animal appears to be smaller than your vehicle you should decelerate, hold the steering wheel tightly, and continue to drive forward if you don’t believe you will be able to come to a safe stop. If you see a deer, you can try to alert the animal by honking or flashing your lights. If you see a very large animal such as a moose on the roadway, you should do everything you can to avoid colliding with it, as hitting (for example) a moose with your vehicle could result in significant damage and possibly fatal injuries.
It is important to take deer and moose warning signs along the road seriously. These animals are most likely to be spotted in the Fall, and are most active during dawn and dusk. To decrease your risk of hitting one of these animals, you should use your high beams when possible and pay attention to the road at all times following all speed limits.