Tens of thousands of people killed in automobile accidents in the United States each year. Many, many more people are injured in car accidents annually, including many individuals who sustain serious, life-altering injuries. A considerable majority of these accidents occur as the result of negligence. Odds are the day will come when you will be involved in some type of automobile accident. Hopefully, you will avoid sever injuries and major losses. With that said, there are seven mistakes you need to avoid following an automobile accident.
Unfortunately, many people fall into these traps. Failing to avoid these mistakes can result can prevent an injured person the ability to obtain just and appropriate compensation following a car accident.
Failure to Call Law Enforcement to the Accident Scene
Unless some sort of extraordinary circumstances exists and the accident fairly can be described as minor, law enforcement should always be called to the scene of an automobile accident. (An example of an extraordinary circumstance is a weather-related situation in which the police or sheriff have issued an advisory that people involved in a more minor car accident should report the event after the fact but not call law enforcement to the scene.)
The fact is that many insurance policies contain a provision that requires a person involved in a car accident to call the police immediately after the incident. The failure to take this step may have the potential to preclude an injured person from obtaining a settlement.
Failure to Seek Prompt Medical Attention
In the aftermath of a car accident, a person should seek prompt medical attention. Of course, if a person is injured seriously, medical intervention occurs as a matter of course. However, if a person feels he or she has sustained minor or no injuries, the immediate inclination may be to forgo seeking medical attention.
Even if a person doesn’t think injuries have occurred, an evaluation from a doctor should be obtained. The fact is that many automobile accident related injuries may not exhibit symptoms immediately. In order to best protect a person’s health and wellbeing as well as his or her legal interests, an individual should seek medical attention.
Leaving the Scene of the Car Accident
Leaving the scene of a car accident can be a significantly negative error. Leaving the scene of an accident can result in criminal charges. In addition, if a person leaves the scene of an accident before exchanging contact and other information with the other party and taking some other steps, that individual may face significant challenges if he or she ends up suffering injuries that exhibit at a later date. The bottom line is that a person involved in a car accident should never dismiss the collision in a cavalier manner.
Failure to Gather Evidence
If at all possible, a victim of a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence should endeavor to collect some basic evidence that includes:
- Names and contact information of witnesses
- Statements from witnesses
- Contact and insurance information from other driver
- Photos or video of accident scene and of any injuries
Admitting Fault
A person must never admit fault in the immediate aftermath of an accident. This includes making a statement as simple as “I’m sorry” at the scene of the accident.
Failure to Report Accident to Insurance Company Promptly
A person involved in an automobile accident must contact his or her insurance company immediately. In addition, a victim of a car accident needs to make sure a claim is filed with the appropriate insurance company in a timely manner.
Failing to Take Prompt Action to Protect Your Legal Interests
Another major mistake a person makes following a car accident is to promptly take steps to protect legal interests. In every state there is a specific time frame in which an automobile accident injury lawsuit must be filed. The failure to file a lawsuit in that time frame can preclude a person from ever obtaining compensation for injuries and losses.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, a Doan Law Firm automobile accident injury lawyer is available to you any time and can be reached 24 hours a day at (800) 349-0000. A nationwide law firm, we never charge a fee for an initial consultation with an automobile accident injury lawyer.
The Doan Law Firm makes an attorney fee promise to you. We never charge a fee unless we win for you.