Things To Avoid After A Car Accident
It's only natural that car accident victims feel confused, upset, and worried after an accident. Unfortunately, those emotions can make them say and do things that could make their situation worse. Most victims want to be paid what they are owed and get back to their lives. Read on for some tips on doing that without compromising compensation opportunities.
Expressing Guilt
While you are probably sorry, expressing sorrow about the accident could backfire on you. When you apologize, you can raise the red flag of liability. You don't want to be liable in any way for the accident. Sorrow can be interpreted as fault, so stay away from admissions of guilt at all costs.
Saying You Aren't Hurt
Sadly, many accident victims make the mistake of thinking they have only minor injuries and don't need to go to the hospital. Then, they wake up the next day in pain. Get checked out and keep going back to the doctor as new aches and pains arise. Some accident injuries are slow to appear. Medical treatment is a super important part of your accident case.
Thinking You Don't Need a Lawyer
No matter how minor you think your accident was, you probably need help with your case. If you don't have legal support behind you and advocating for you, there is a good chance you can be taken advantage of by the other insurer.
Offering to Talk to the Other Insurance Company
When the other insurer calls you, don't speak to them. You can politely tell the other driver's insurance adjuster that you are not ready to speak about the case. That will buy you time until you can speak to a personal injury lawyer. You should also know that you are not required to speak to the other driver's insurance company at all. All communications should go through your lawyer.
Settling for Less
This is something that the at-fault driver's insurer loves to hear. The other insurer also wants to settle the case as soon as they can. Why? Because the longer things go on the more likely it is that the victims will realize the scope of what they are owed. Victims might even hire a personal injury lawyer to represent them. When that occurs, the at-fault driver's insurer knows they will have to pay the victim more money. Once you sign a settlement agreement, there is no going back.
Avoid the above things and get legal help as soon as possible after an accident. Speak to a car accident lawyer to find out more.
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