After being involved in a car accident there are some important actions you must take to protect your health and legal rights as well. However, you may not know what these steps are and may make errors that could hinder your ability to collect your rightful compensation from the negligent party that caused the crash.
If you don’t want to reduce the odds of getting compensated, you should contact an attorney who can assist you to avoid mistakes in filing a car accident lawsuit. In addition to that, below are some mistakes you should not make moments after the accident.
Not contacting the police
If you plan on filing any claim for the crash, you must notify the police. The police report will be a starting point for insurance companies. If you do not notify the law enforcement officers, the case will be your word against the other driver, which may be a very challenging situation.
Not seeking medical attention
Even if you don’t feel pain or don’t have any visible injuries, it is always a good idea to seek medical checkup from a medical professional. Some injuries caused by the collision may not show symptoms for hours or even days after the incident. Getting checked immediately will allow a doctor to identify any potential problems before symptoms start to appear or before it worsens. In addition to that, the medical records can act as valuable evidence if you want to sue the negligent party in the long run.
Not taking pics of the scene and vehicle
After a crash, most casualties are usually too shocked or injured to remember to take pictures. Although the insurance company may be able to get pictures of your damaged vehicle later, it is still very important to take pictures and videos of the scene immediately after the collision has occurred. If you are unable to do so, you can request someone else to do it for you.
Mistakenly admitting fault
Even if you are certain the crash was your fault, you should not admit it to the police or other driver because there may be more to the story after a thorough investigation has been conducted. For instance, you may have lost control of the vehicle while driving, but the other driver may have been texting while driving. When you prematurely admit fault, it may prevent an investigation from establishing that the other driver was partially to blame as well.
Not contacting a lawyer
If you have been involved in a vehicle collision, insurance companies may pressure you to quickly agree to a settlement. However, the settlement they offer can be unfair and not enough to cater to the losses you have incurred. When you reach out to an experienced attorney, he or she can assist you to get full compensation.
Conclusion
After a collision, you should call the police, seek medical assistance, take pics of the scene, avoid posting about the crash on social media and contact an attorney as soon as possible. These actions will strengthen your case and protect your health as well.
