No-one wants to experience a car accident. The first time it happens, it can be hard to know what to do or say. It’s hard to avoid making mistakes which can be used by others later on to stop you from recovering compensation if you were injured or your car damaged through no fault of your own. It is almost certain that you will have to deal with insurers after a car accident. There will be your own insurer and the insurer of any other vehicle involved in the accident. Insurers don’t like paying out compensation. They will do what they can to reduce what they are asked to pay on behalf of their client. Here are some typical mistakes which could be made after a car accident, which you can learn to avoid making.
- Don’t admit fault
Even if you are unsure exactly how an accident took place or whether you were to blame or not, it is unwise to admit fault or say sorry after the accident. Anything you say to the other driver(s) may be remembered and used by the other driver’s insurer against you.
- Don’t forget to collect evidence at the scene of the crash
There are some crashes that are so serious that you can’t actually do anything but wait for emergency responders and an ambulance. But not all accidents are so serious and even if you are quite badly injured there may still be things you can do before you leave or are removed from the accident location. Insurers depend on evidence to make a decision about compensation. The best evidence is usually at the place where the accident took place.
- Don’t ignore medical assessment or treatment
Even if you think you are fine after an accident, it is best to see your doctor and get an assessment. Some car accident injuries are asymptomatic and may not become apparent for several days or even weeks after the accident. It is common to be in a state of shock after an accident, especially a serious one, and you may actually forget or delay getting treatment. Insurers will use this delay or failure to seek medical assessment or treatment as evidence that you weren’t injured at all. This can invalidate a personal injury claim if you decide to file one after the accident.
- Don’t forget to document all costs related to the accident
If you decide you were the victim of the accident, you will need evidence that you were injured and that the injuries happened at the crash, not before or after. Obtain any medical reports, as well as invoices and receipts for medical treatment, towing charges, cost of repair to your car, cost of transportation if you can’t use your car and evidence of lost wags if you can’t go back to work straight away.
- Don’t communicate directly with the other driver’s insurer
Insurers may contact you after a claim or after an accident in anticipation of a claim and ask you a series of questions. It is preferable not to talk directly with any other driver’s insurance adjuster and refer them to your attorney (assuming you hire one). Insurers are adept at finding loopholes and inconsistencies in plaintiff’s statements and it’s easy if you are not used to dealing with these sorts of situations to say the wrong thing or say something which can be use against you.
- Contact an attorney as soon as you can if you are considering filing a personal injury claim
Not all crashes are serious. If you are lucky, there may be no injuries and your car might just have a scratch or two and the other driver is cooperative. However, if you are not so lucky it is wise to talk to a car accident attorney as soon as you can. The attorney will make sure you have good grounds for a claim and will know how to negotiate with insurers on your behalf.
Speak to Nashville Injury Attorney if you have been involved in a car or truck accident
You are more likely to recover compensation from an at-fault driver’s insurer if you use an experienced car accident attorney. Keith Williams and his team at Nashville Injury Attorney have built a solid reputation for successful car accident claims. They have recovered millions of dollars in compensation for their many clients. Ring the office for an online or phone appointment at 615-395-3003.
Leave A Comment