Car accidents can be minor or violent, leaving several people injured or killed. Severe injuries following a crash are common and can happen to anyone. After a car accident, you should seek immediate medical attention and schedule a free initial consultation with an attorney. A lawyer can help you avoid making mistakes that can ruin your possible case. They will advise you against the following:
Leaving the Accident Scene
Regardless of how confused or scared you may be after a car accident, you should stay at the accident scene until the law enforcement arrives. Leaving the scene could lead to fines, misdemeanors or felony charges, license suspension, or jail time. In Georgia, drivers should stop their cars, seek aid, call emergency services, and cooperate with the investigation.
Apologizing
After a car accident, you may want to express sympathy to the other driver involved. However, insurance providers usually use apologies against claimants. So, never say sorry. Instead, you should ask if somebody needs help. Whether you are in pain or not, try to stay calm.
Losing Your Temper
Emotions following a car accident usually run high. Because of endorphins and adrenaline, the fight or flight response of your body is engaged to the sudden danger. So, it’s normal to feel confused and upset. However, it’s not reasonable to lash out at people at the accident scene. When you lose your temper, your possible injury claim can be compromised as you may be accused of road rage. If your case goes to court, you may not be able to get the jury’s full sympathy.
Not Documenting What Happened
Following a serious crash, you can feel nervous and scared. While this is normal, you should advocate for yourself by documenting everything that resulted in the crash. If possible, write down relevant details about the crash. These include where and when the collision occurred, road conditions when the accident happened, the other driver’s license plate numbers, names, insurance information, and contact information.
Find witnesses, so you can get their names and contact information. Ask if they could write down a factual statement of what they witnessed. Not documenting what took place will make it more difficult to prove your account of the crash when your case ends up in court. Besides, the insurance company is expected to ask you to give such details to them.
Moreover, accident documentation includes taking photos of the accident scene, the injuries sustained, road conditions, and skid marks. These pictures will back up your story.
Not Seeking Medical Attention
After a serious car accident, you may choose to endure your symptoms and pain. But your health impacts your entire life. While medical care is expensive, ignoring an injury can result in more expensive medical treatment later. Also, delaying treatment can negatively affect your claim. Insurance companies may accuse you of exaggerating or faking your injury.
Not Being Honest
You must not lie to your lawyer or an insurance company about what took place in the crash. Also, you must not lie about sustaining an injury or exaggerating your symptoms. A false claim will waste people’s effort and time. Also, it is not ethical for many reasons. Keep in mind that medical experts, attorneys, and insurance adjusters investigate car accident cases rigorously. Thus, they will find out if you were lying in the first place. No matter the case, you should be honest with your attorney as they are on your side.
Not Hiring A Lawyer
A lot of those injured in car accidents prefer to handle their case without legal assistance. However, a car accident attorney can help make each aspect of your case easier to handle. Your attorney can handle talks with the insurance company and negotiate a reasonable settlement with them. When you get legal representation, the insurance company won’t be able to take advantage of you and your situation. If you try to handle your case without a lawyer, you expose yourself to different risks including making mistakes that can ruin your overall claim. Unless you are a lawyer yourself, you may not be familiar with legal laws and deadlines that must be followed. If you want to protect your rights and ensure you don’t miss important deadlines, you should have a good attorney on your side
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