Five Reckless Mistakes People Make After a Car Accident
In a perfect world car accidents would never happen. Unfortunately, they do. On average, more than 6 million car accidents happen every year in the United States. Of those 6 million wrecks, 3 million people are injured, and more than 2 million people sustain some level of permanent injury. Many car accidents result from:
- drinking and driving;
- texting while driving;
- talking on a mobile phone; and
- general distracted driving, including being distracted by passengers and devices such as the radio and GPS
It is easy to make crucial mistakes following a car crash. Making these mistakes can be costly, not just financially, but emotionally and physically as well. Our team of attorneys compiled a list of five reckless mistakes people make after being involved in a car accident.
Things Not To Do After a Car Accident
1. Driving away. This should go without saying, but fleeing the scene of a car crash after a car accident is against the law and clearly points the “fault finger” at you. In the event of an accident, remain calm and stay at the scene. Don’t move the car unless you have to. Moving the car can result in further injury to you and additional damage to the vehicle. Stay put until law enforcement and a wrecker arrive.
2. Failing to get all the details and reporting it. Some folks attempt to simply exchange information with the other driver (to save the time and “hassle” of calling the police). Always choose to call the police, even if it’s just a tap on your bumper or minor scratch
Be sure to always:
- Call the police;
- Make sure all the facts are recorded in the police report;
- Exchange contact and insurance information with the other drivers involved, if possible; and
- Make sure to review the police report afterwards to ensure the facts recorded are accurate. If not, ask for a supplement report to be prepared.
- You never know, you may suffer neck pain or discover more damage to your vehicle in the days and weeks following the accident. If you don’t document the incident, you do so at your own risk.
3. Failing to seek medical attention. Even if you did not feel immediate pain, an accident victim should seek prompt medical treatment after a wreck. As mentioned above, there are some injuries that don’t manifest until later. In addition, the opposing insurance company and attorney(s) will often attempt to later minimize a victim’s injuries if the victim did not seek prompt medical attention after the accident.
4. Delay in hiring a car accident attorney. One of the biggest mistakes people make is talking to the insurance company representative and believing that they are there to “help.” The first thing an injured person should do it speak with an attorney about their rights. An initial consultation with an injury attorney should be free.Remember, if you talk to the insurance company before talking to an experienced personal injury attorney, you could be providing information that is detrimental to your interests and could cause you to lose compensation you deserve.
5. Lying. In the event you file a claim it is always possible that your personal injury case will ultimately go to trial. DO NOT tell “white lies” along the way in an attempt to obtain a better result. Exaggerating the extent of injuries from a car wreck is the worst thing you can do for your case. Being truthful and honest about your injuries is the only way to build credibility that will ultimately resonate with a judge and jury.
Contact Our Macon Car Accident Attorneys Today
If you or someone you know have been the victim of a car accident, the Macon attorneys at Buzzell, Welsh & Hill can assist you in receiving the compensation you deserve. Our attorneys are experts at handling auto accident cases and will pursue all types of compensation including payment of your medical bills, compensation for your pain and suffering due to injury, payment of lost wages, and possible punitive damages.
Contact us for a free consultation today by calling us at (478) 217-2072 or click here to complete a contact form.
