What To Do – And Not Do – After an Auto Accident
Even though vehicle accidents happen every day, you’re going to be shaken up if it happens to you. Thinking clearly is practically impossible because your heart is racing and the adrenalin is flowing.
How you handle things in that moment can play an important role in the way your experience unfolds. Because there are a host of professionals – police officers, insurance adjustors, and medical personnel – that may be involved in your situation, it’s imperative you keep a calm mind and do all that you can to strengthen your case.
In this article, we’ll discuss what to do – as well as what not to do – in the event you’re involved in an accident. We recommend you print this list, laminate it and keep it in your glove compartment.
Be Sure You Do These
Call the police. Even if the damage seems minor, you need an official incident report from law enforcement to begin your documentation of the event.
Take photos of everything. Remember to photograph all of the vehicles involved as well as the scene of the accident from multiple angles. Ensure that damage to all vehicles is captured in close-up photos; the more detail you can capture, the better. Also, be sure to photograph license tags of all vehicles involved.
Contact your insurance provider. Many insurance providers now offer apps that allow you to contact your provider with the push of a button.
Get thee to a doctor, pronto! Even if your injuries appear to be minor, go straight to the emergency room or your doctor’s office. By doing this, you establish a baseline for your health condition as your cases proceeds through the legal system.
Maintain a file for paperwork. With medical treatment comes paperwork, and lots of it. You can expect to be inundated with bills, questionnaires, letters of benefit explanation, etc. Do not let this intimidate you. Even if you’re not particularly good at maintaining paperwork, just keep a large envelope on-hand and place the documents inside for your lawyer to sort through.
Talk with a lawyer ASAP. There are many variables that courts and insurance companies take into account while processing an auto accident case from start to finish. An experienced lawyer who specialize in motor vehicle accidents is your best bet for positioning yourself for a positive outcome.
Do Not Do These
Make an apology to the other driver. While you may truly feel sorry about the accident, saying things like “I was distracted” can be used against you later in court.
Accept cash to keep it on the down low. If they’re at fault and think they may face big legal hurdles because of their record, some drivers may offer you cash on the spot. Bad move. Even if the damage looks minor, you’ve no way of knowing what the final tally will be to fix your automobile.
Speak with the other driver’s insurance company. Known for their bullying tactics, the goal of the other driver’s insurance company is to get you to settle for as little money as possible. Don’t fall for their “trust me” routine.
Post anything to social media. Rest assured that any defense attorney is going to go over every platform available for information about you. While it may be tempting to share photos of the damage to your car and to yourself with your friends, remember that defense attorneys will mine through every post you make and try to use it against you.
If you’ve been involved in an auto accident, contact the skilled lawyers at Gilleon Law Firm, APC. They thoroughly understand the consequences of vehicle accidents and the rights you are entitled to
