If you've been involved in a car accident, making the wrong decisions can ruin your chances of obtaining fair compensation or, worse, affect your physical recovery.
In many cases, people who are not prepared make very common mistakes after being involved in a Car Accident.
These errors can be very costly and may harm their chances of being somewhat compensated by the other driver or insurance company, even when the fault lies solely with that driver.
Knowing what steps to take and what mistakes to avoid could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in damages. Auto accidents can lead to potentially serious injuries.
If you were in an accident due to someone else's negligence, you might be entitled to pursue a personal injury lawsuit.
Whether the crash was your fault or not, if you or someone else was hurt in a car accident, you may want to consult an experienced attorney or seek the help of a medical professional, such as a car accident chiropractor.
Crash victims should be aware of the common mistakes that people make after an auto accident so they can be sure not to avoid them.
In the article below, we will discuss the top 10 mistakes people make after being in a car accident.
Table of Contents
- Not Calling The Police
- Admitting Guilt
- Not Exchanging Insurance Information
- Not Taking Pictures
- Not Contacting The Insurance Company
- Not Receiving Timely Medical Treatment
- Trusting The Insurance Company
- Not Understanding Your Rights
- Not Contacting A Car Accident Attorney
- Waiting Too Long To Pursue A Claim
- Contact Arrowhead Clinic Today
1. Not Calling The Police
When you're involved in a car accident, one of the biggest mistakes victims make is letting the other driver talk you out of contacting 911 at the accident scene.
One of the most common questions that accident victims have is whether it is necessary to notify police officers about the accident.
In some situations, this may appear to be a dramatic measure, especially when no one has had life-threatening injuries. However, there are other advantages to calling 911 in addition to being checked out by emergency medical staff.
It doesn't matter how minor the accident may seem. No matter how sorry the other driver acts. You must have an accident report at the crash scene.
An official police report is an objective record of what took place in the accident.
The police report will attest to what happened during the collision, which will prevent the other driver from making false claims.
If you or someone else in the car accident suffered a potential injury, there would need to be valid documentation, especially if legal proceedings are going to take place.
2. Admitting Guilt
When you are discussing an automobile collision, it is important not to admit fault or say, "I'm sorry."
If you rush to apologize for the accident because you believe you made a minor error that contributed to the collision, and an investigation later reveals a much larger error on the part of the other driver, your admission of fault can make it more difficult to obtain the compensation you are otherwise entitled to.
Admitting fault can be used against you at a later time when you are attempting to collect damages to your vehicle or medical expenses that accumulated as a result of the crash.
Even if you believe you were at fault, you may be incorrect. There is no way to know all of the details surrounding an accident, especially under the stress and shock that arise immediately after the impact.
Some common comments to avoid saying after an accident include:
-"I'm so sorry"
-"I didn't see you"
-"I only looked down for a second"
-"I tried to slow down"
-"You came out of now where"
Even though some of these comments may appear harmless, the auto insurance company may use these statements against you to lower their liability and pay you as little as possible during the settlement process.
3. Not Exchanging Insurance Information
If you are in an auto collision, regardless of how minor it may appear, do not fail to exchange insurance information with the at-fault driver.
Even in minor accidents where there are no visible injuries, you still need to gather this valuable evidence to help with the legal process.
You need to get the name, address, phone number, license number, insurance information, license plate number, and the make and model of the other driver's vehicle.
This is what will be used if you are going to seek any legal claims for compensation.
4. Not Taking Pictures
conditions, any skid marks, and the position of each vehicle in the car crash.
If there are any disagreements on how the accident occurred during the claims process, you will have documentation to help support your claim.
If you obtain legal services and file a lawsuit, all of this evidence is critical to your case and allows your accident lawyer to effectively negotiate with the insurance company about your auto insurance claim.
5. Not Contacting The Insurance Company
If you fail to notify your insurance company after an accident, it could prevent you from recovering a fair settlement for property damage, medical bills, and any costs associated with the accident.
Make sure to seek legal advice before giving the insurance company any written or recorded statements about the accident.
6. Not Receiving Timely Medical Treatment
After a car accident, you will want to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Even if you think you are fine, it may be difficult to tell the type of injuries that you have sustained.
Many people believe it is "normal" to feel discomfort, such as soreness, stiffness, or disorientation, following a car accident. While you may overlook such symptoms, they could be the beginning of a very serious injury.
Soreness or loss of mobility, for example, may indicate a soft tissue sprain or strain. You might expect the soreness to improve, but it will instead worsen. Prior to your diagnosis, you may exacerbate the injury, requiring more treatment to heal.
Similarly, fogginess, disorientation, or confusion after a collision are frequently attributed to stress. However, any of these symptoms could be a sign of a concussion or, worse, a traumatic brain injury. Concussions require medical attention and might have long-term consequences, and a traumatic brain injury could cause life-long problems, especially if left untreated.
Misjudging the severity of your injuries is a common mistake people make following an accident. It's also a really serious one.
It is important to have your injuries diagnosed as soon as possible for your health as well as your accident claim.
7. Trusting The Insurance Company
Sometimes after an accident, the insurance adjuster won't always align their interest with yours.
We have to remember that insurance companies are businesses, and all businesses are out to earn a profit.
That's why your insurance company will try to offer you a quick settlement, paying you as little as possible.
They will often try to find ways to avoid paying you an accident settlement at all.
They may even attempt to prove that you were violating the terms of your auto insurance policy so they will not have to defend you or pay your medical costs.
This is not always the case, but you should not automatically assume that they will be acting on your behalf every step of the way.
8. Not Understanding Your Rights
Many people are unaware of the types of expenses and damages they can seek compensation for after a car accident.
Damage may be claimed for property loss, medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
It is important to understand what the law is regarding when you can sue or be sued and whether the other party did something to give rise to legal damages.
Finding the right legal professionals will ensure that the negligent party does not evade responsibilities and can negotiate with the insurance company if they fail to cover a specific bill.
9. Not Contacting A Car Accident Attorney
Your insurance adjuster may tell you that you don't need a lawyer to handle your accident injury claim, but this is just because they do not want you to hire one.
A lawyer is familiar with the insurance company's methods and knows better than anyone if you're being offered a fair settlement or not.
If you or someone else was injured, a personal injury attorney will be able to help protect your rights.
Especially if you are recovering from injuries, the last thing you want to do is worry about the legal procedures after an accident.
Your personal injury lawyer will let you focus on your physical recovery while they help you to obtain financial recovery for all accident damages.
Most Personal Injury Attorneys will offer a free initial consultation after and auto crash so you can find out whether or not they will be able to help you with your accident lawsuit.
10. Waiting Too Long To Pursue A Claim
There are time limits set for you to pursue an auto injury claim after a car accident.
In most states, the statute of limitations is two years after the accident.
Depending on the facts available, you may need to hire legal counsel relatively quickly and file your claim as soon as possible.
It is always best to contact an attorney as soon as you can so the attorney can ensure that your right to pursue a claim and obtain compensation for damages is properly protected.
Contact Arrowhead Clinic Today
Arrowhead Clinic specializes in treating Car Accident Injury victims in Georgia and South Carolina.
We just reviewed 10 mistakes people make after car accidents, but perhaps one of the most critical mistakes you could make is not receiving medical attention.
Many car accident injuries, like whiplash, won't show up immediately after an accident.
That's why, even if you feel fine, you should always see a chiropractor after an accident so you can be sure you don't have any underlying issues that could show up later on.
The staff at the Arrowhead Clinic are experts in treating the injuries associated with Car Accidents by using Chiropractic and Medical Doctors.
They also provide the proper documentation with detailed narratives and daily reports the insurance companies and your experienced car accident attorneys need for the proper resolution of your injury claim.
If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being the victim of an accident, do not make one of the costly mistakes mentioned above.
Seek professional advice from an experienced legal team, and seek immediate medical assistance for your injuries.
When you contact us at Arrowhead Clinic, we will provide you with a free consultation with our expert chiropractor as well as a referral to expert attorneys for a free legal consultation.
Click on the link below for a free accident injury consultation with our highly experienced accident team at Arrowhead Clinic today.
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