A car accident can change your life in a matter of seconds. If you were recently in an accident — no matter how big or small it was — you’ll be better off if you are informed as to how to handle it. If car accidents aren’t handled correctly, you can get in a sticky situation.
To ensure that you don’t put yourself at risk of getting a ticket or putting yourself in a compromised situation, let’s take a closer look at four things that you should never do after an accident.
1. Do Not Leave the Scene
As soon as you are in a car accident, both you and the other car(s) involved need to pullover to the side of the road to get out of the way. If your car rolled over or isn’t functioning, then leave it there but make sure that you get out of the road and somewhere safe.
Even if you think that the car accident is small, the law says it’s illegal to flee the scene of an accident. Every accident needs to be reported to law enforcement officials and if you don’t do that, you technically commit a crime. Even if the other person involved in the accident left the scene, you still need to file a police report.
2. Do Not Forget to Notify the Authorities
When you have a police report, you have a solid legal record of what happened and who was at fault. If you need to move forward with a personal injury lawsuit, this can be used as evidence in your favor.
When you talk to the police, try not to give them too much information on your end because some of it could be used against you. For instance, if you were hit but you slammed on your brakes, that detail may be used against you in the courtroom. Give the police only factual information and nothing more. If you aren’t sure what questions you should answer, then reach out to an attorney immediately – even from the scene.
3. Do Not Refuse Medical Treatment
Immediately after a car accident, you will be running off of adrenaline and emotions. Both of these things will help you mentally survive an accident, but they may also prevent you from feeling certain injuries. Seek medical attention no matter how small you think your injuries are.
Oftentimes, patients don’t notice that they have back injuries until days (if not weeks later). Similarly, a concussion doesn’t always present itself right after the actually accident.
When you get medical treatment, you will have medical records showing exactly what injuries you sustained. If you need to move forward with a personal injury lawsuit, then your attorneys can use all of your medical bills to help you get the compensation that you deserve.
4. Do Not Negotiate With The Other Party’s Insurance
One of the things your personal injury attorney will do is try to get you some compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance company. If you make negotiations or deals with their insurance company, your attorney may not be able to do anything on your behalf, and you will lose a ton of money.
If their insurance company asks to speak with you about the case, just tell them that if they want to talk to you that they will have to speak to your attorney first. Typically, they will back off if they know that your lawyer is involved. Even though they may say they have your best interests at hand, they are only obligated to watch out for their bottom line.
Nobody should ever have to deal with the aftermath of a car accident alone. To us, no question is too big or too small. Let us at The Jaklitsch Law Group help you with your personal injury lawsuit. You’ll see why we were named “Best Personal Injury Trial Firm – USA”.
