Even the most minor of car accidents can be traumatic and stressful. Understandably, people who have been in such accidents often find it difficult to make clear decisions in its aftermath. You may already be aware that you are entitled to compensation if you have been in a car accident, especially if the fault is of the other driver.
About 52% of personal injury lawsuits are due to motor vehicle accidents thus becoming the leading cause of concern. However, if you plan to file an injury lawsuit to seek compensation, even the smallest actions you take post the accident can impact its outcome.
Hence, it is important to take diligent and calculated steps after a car accident, that can help you save a lot of trouble that you might otherwise face, down the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 5.5 million car accidents take place every year, in the United States.
Even the slightest mistake at this sensitive time can affect any compensations or lawsuits that you plan to pursue in the future. We have curated a list of common mistakes that people tend to make after a car accident so that you can understand these mistakes and ensure that you do not repeat them if you find yourself in such a situation:
1. Leaving the Accident Site
One of the most primary and serious mistakes that you can make after a car accident is leaving the scene. When a car accident takes place, regardless of whose fault it is, you need to be present at the site till authorities arrive, unless you are critically injured and require emergency care. Panicking after an accident is quite common, but if you end up leaving the accident site, it might be construed as fleeing the scene, which is a crime.
Regardless of which side of the accident you are on, you must stay and provide official statements. You should leave only after the officials state that it is fine for you to leave.
2. Not Informing Police
Needless to say, the first call that you make when you have been in an accident is to report it to the emergency services, who can then dispatch a police officer who will investigate the accident. Often, the people involved in the accident might decide not to call the police so that they can avoid any further legal problems.
However, the lack of an official accident report by a police officer, means that you can not claim any compensation or take any legal action regarding the accident. This also rules out any scope of filing a personal injury lawsuit or insurance claim.
3. Avoiding Immediate Medical Assistance
If you have been in a car accident, chances are that you or others might need immediate medical assistance. Even if you do not see any apparent injuries, you can not rule out internal injuries or concussions, which if unattended, can lead to bigger complications.
Unattended injuries can often jeopardize injury settlements, and can lead to major repercussions on health, and should thus be proactively prevented. Regardless of how minor or serious the accident, getting medical assistance to the sport should be your topmost priority.
4. Not Gathering Evidence
After an accident happens, if it is possible for you to do so, you should be gathering as much evidence as possible. Take pictures of your vehicle and everything that has been damaged in the accident so that you can use them as proof later, for your insurance claim or lawsuit. This may include any specific kinds of debris, skid marks, injuries, and so on. Moreover, if the accident takes place in a highly crowded spot and you have eyewitnesses, make sure to note down their contact information for future use.
5. Dealing with the Accident without a Lawyer
A small accident might seem like something you can easily deal with. As a result, you might feel that hiring a car accident lawyer might not be necessary, but think again. One of the gravest mistakes you can make after a car accident is not hiring an attorney to deal with the legal aspects of the event. Many think they can deal with the claim on their own without realizing the complexities involved in the process.
Moreover, car wreck lawyers in Dallas, Texas can go through every aspect of your case, and suggest the right steps to take in your lawsuit. They can also represent you against aggressive insurance carriers or defense lawyers, and fetch you the settlement that you want to get if you mention the right things to them from the get-go.
6. Talking publicly about the Accident
In the world of social media, this has become even bigger of a risk than it used to be earlier. Since people post about any minor or major event taking place with them, chances are that they are motivated to post about their accident as well. But that is not at all advisable and should be avoided at all costs if you plan to file an injury lawsuit or claim any kind of compensation.
Anything that you do or say on your social media profile is considered to be public information and can be accessed by a third party if need be. This means that any information that you post about your accident can be used by your insurance provider to refute your claims or by a defense lawyer within a lawsuit. It is not advisable to say anything regarding the accident in the absence of a lawyer, since such information can be misrepresented in a different context.
The Verdict
In case of a car accident, you need to be wary about all the events that precede and follow it. Taking any wrong steps after your accident might cost you the compensation that you deserve and might even turn the case in the favor of the other party. By being proactive and careful about the actions and steps you take after the car accident, you can ensure that your injury lawsuit or compensation is successfully filed and conducted without any extra complications.