Whenever you or someone you know is an accident victim or suffers an injury, it is necessary to make the correct and careful decisions for the justice system to work in your favor. Otherwise, you can end up in debt while being held legally liable for the entire incident. Prevent yourself from becoming part of the statistic by avoiding these common mistakes car accident victims make.
1. Not Calling the Police to Investigate the Accident
Remember that the police officer’s presence is not only legally necessary at the crash scene. A police report is needed to identify evidence, possible witnesses, the cause, and who is an at-fault driver.
2. Not Gathering Evidence or Witnesses’ Contact Information
In a car crash, it is important to take accident photos of things such as skid marks or any property damage; and gather as much vital evidence as you can. Crash details are a crucial piece of information. It is also important that you get the witnesses’ contact information, as well as any identifying and contact details of the people involved in the accident. Forgetting to do so is the biggest mistake you can make, you are paving the way for the insurance adjuster to present a version of the incident in which you were, if not completely, partially at fault for what happened.
3. Not Seeking Immediate Medical Attention
Even when you feel perfectly fine after the incident, you must consult a doctor or wait for the paramedics to evaluate you for possible injuries. Failure to do so may lead to the concealment of a life-threatening injury. Remember that an adrenaline rush can make people feel no pain when in the moment. If you have been injured, the symptoms of common car crash injuries will eventually surface hours or days after.
According to Reid Physicians, the sudden change in momentum experienced during a car accident can cause soft tissue damage which only shows muscle strains such as stiffness, inflammation, and swelling after a significant amount of time.
4. Hiding Previous Medical History & Medical Treatment
It is important that when you see a doctor, honesty is observed. You must mention every previous medical condition or injury. If you don’t, it could affect your diagnosis, medical records, and medical examinations.
Meanwhile, there is a strong chance the insurance company will use the opportunity to take advantage of you and put your claim into question. So the insurance company could offer you a lowball settlement or worse; refuse to pay your compensation.
5. Skipping Your Medical Appointments
Even if you feel better or you feel that the treatment isn’t working, it is still important to not skip any medical appointments. If you do that then you are putting your recovery at risk together with your personal injury claim. The insurance company would consider that your injury is not as severe as you assert and will decrease the amount of your claim for recovery.
6. Discussing Your Case With the Other Party’s Insurance Company
Talking to the insurance provider of the other party involved in the accident scene will only negatively affect your case, and may lead you to make a damaging statement. Remember that the insurance adjusters will pretend to be on your side to get what is best for their client and, of course, the finances of the company. They are never in your favor and may neglect to give you fair compensation.
Wait until a doctor evaluates your injuries and gives you a thorough diagnosis before talking to a specialized accident lawyer. Let your attorney be the one to deal with the insurance companies.
7. Not Filing Your Claim Sooner
In California, the statute of limitations for any personal injury case is only two years after the date of the incident. However, when there is a public or government institution involved this period is reduced to 6 months. You have to file your compensation claim before the statute of limitations expires or else you can never proceed with your claim.
8. Not Hiring an Expert Personal Injury Lawyer
You wouldn’t want to face a legal process without the help of an expert on the matter. With an aggressive accident attorney on your side, your chance of success at obtaining a higher compensation is increased.
Additionally, you will get better medical treatment, and this experienced attorney will communicate on your behalf, strengthening your case.
9. Settling too Soon
We understand that you need to get compensation as soon as possible after being in an auto accident. Auto accident victims tend to be desperate during trying times and need to swiftly return to their busy lives. However, you should wait until we do a thorough investigation and negotiate with the insurance company for a fair sum.
How Our Experienced Car Accident Attorney Can Help
If you accept whatever the insurance company initially offers you, this could be a critical error that will most likely leave you with a poor and unfair settlement offer. Moreover, the medical attention that you will receive will not be equivalent to your accident injuries or crash damages.
It is natural for people to make simple mistakes when filing an insurance claim. But, trust us, we understand that it is important that you get a fair settlement. Remember that we work with a contingency fee, which means that we do not get a cent until you do. We will never accept less compensation than you deserve.
Remember that Farahi Law Firm is always here for you.
We have expert personal injury lawyers whose records speak for themselves. Contact us for a free consultation. We have thousands of happy clients and millions of dollars recovered! That is why we are in the Top 100 of the Nation.
Call us at (844)-824-2955 for a free evaluation of your case.
