A car accident often leaves you shaken. This may result in you committing mistakes at the accident scene, leading to legal charges, or limiting your right to compensation. In this article, we highlight five mistakes you should avoid when involved in an accident to help your lawyer build a strong case and maximize personal injury compensation.
Leaving the accident scene
Regardless of the accident’s severity or whose fault it is, the last thing you should do after a collision is flee the scene. Be sure to stay at the scene until the emergency medical personnel and police arrive. This ascertains that you do not leave the scene with injuries, which could make you vulnerable to criminal charges. It also allows you to give your side of the story, helping the law enforcement officers file an accurate report. Fleeing the collision scene makes you appear like you are hiding something or are guilty.
Not contacting the police
Even when you exchange information with the other party involved, you should ensure that you call the police. The responding officers can collect evidence on the accident scene. They speak to the witnesses, take pictures and videos of the scene, and write an accurate legal account of the car accident.
A police report is an invaluable piece of evidence when seeking compensation. It can help your lawyer from Gina Corena & Associates build a strong case in the event of a legal suit. The police can also issue a traffic ticket to the other party involved, which is an excellent start to proving your innocence and maximizing compensation.
Talking about the accident
A car accident is traumatic, and you may want to share your experience with the other party involved in the incident or determine their condition. However, you may find yourself apologizing for the accident and taking responsibility for what has happened, which could negatively impact your case. To be safe, refrain from talking about the accident with anyone. Have your attorney present as you give an accurate account of the incident to the police or your insurer to ascertain that you do not over-share or incriminate yourself.
Failing to see the doctor
When involved in a minor fender bender, it is tempting to skip a trip to the physician, especially when you do not appear to have severe injuries. However, the impact of an accident may take a while before it becomes apparent, so visit your doctor to have the injuries evaluated. A physician can identify injuries you were unaware of and prescribe the appropriate treatment. Your doctor can also write a medical report to help you file a personal injury claim. Be sure to follow your doctor’s advice to prevent your insurer or defense attorney from questioning the accident’s severity.
Failing to gather evidence at the scene
Gathering evidence provides your lawyer with an excellent place to start when launching an investigation. Be sure to take the contact information of each party involved, get the responding officer’s names and badge numbers, speak to the witnesses, and write down the vehicle registration number, model, and driver’s license numbers. You should also take pictures and videos of the incident, the vehicle damage, and personal injuries. If you have been in any type of car accident and are unsure about your rights, it would be best to speak with an accident lawyer in Queens.
Endnote
An auto accident causes inconvenience, pain, and financial loss. Avoid the mistakes above to get the most out of your personal injury claim to make recovering from a car accident more manageable.
