As a layman, you probably don’t have enough legal know-how to navigate through a compensation suit when involved in a car accident. Hiring a car accident attorney to represent you will thus boost your chances of getting fairly compensated for your pain and loss. For one, an attorney will do a much better job at collecting, analyzing and using all relevant information about the accident and will offer informed advice on what blunders to avoid when prosecuting a case. Talking of blunders, here are the dos and don’ts of motor vehicle accidents claim processes:
Dos
Report The Accident As Soon As Possible
It is in your best interest to call the police immediately you come out of an accident, preferably before you leave the accident scene. In most cases, you don’t even have to call them as they will get there as soon as they’re informed of the situation. Notably, while waiting for the cops to arrive, avoid getting into confrontations or exchange of words with other involved drivers as it could lead to a potentially costly escalation. Instead, let the police handle the fallout.
Document The Scene of Accident
You can improve your chances of a successful claim if you can produce valid evidence detailing the damage to your vehicle and body at the scene of accident. Fortunately, you probably have a camera phone, so this won’t be hard for you. Take photos of the scene (or videos, if you can), showing the states of both your and the other driver’s vehicles, any skid or blood marks, the positioning of the vehicles involved, and any injuries. Also, be sure to save the names and phone numbers of anyone who witnessed the accident.
Get Immediate Medical Assistance
Often, the police will call an ambulance when going to survey an accident scene. So, if you suffer serious injuries from the accident, chances are that you will inadvertently find yourself in a hospital bed. However, even if you didn’t get any visible injuries, it is important to visit a hospital as soon as you can to find out if you had any internal injuries that could metamorphosize into serious conditions with time. Also, if you delay seeking medical attention, the defendant(s) can use that as proof that you didn’t suffer any injuries from the accident.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney
Chances are that the other driver and their insurance company will be represented by skilled attorneys in their defense. Thus, you need to hire a car accident attorney to even the playing field and give you a good shot at securing your deserved compensation.
Keep All Documentation Pertaining to the Crash
You will need a lot of evidence to prove the extent of your losses due to the accident. For this reason, you need to keep copies of all documents related to the accidents, from your medical bills, prescriptions, vehicle repair billing, and even police reports.
Don’ts
Do Not Accept Responsibility
When involved in an accident, never accept that you were in the wrong, even if you were. In essence, don’t use the word “sorry” or display any remorse, even if you really want to. Instead, call your lawyer as soon as you can and let them engage the other parties on your behalf. Not taking responsibility early maintains your chances of receiving fair compensation at a high level as it keeps the burden of proof on the other side.
Do Not Post On Social Media
After surviving an accident, you may get a strong urge to post about it on your social pages to inform your friends and family of the same. While this is understandable, it may be costly to your case as the opposing lawyers may use the content of your posts against you in court.
Do Not Talk to An Insurance Company
Insurers are known to use all sorts of dirty tactics to evade liability, which includes tricking victims into recording statements with them, especially when the victim is still reeling from the accident. For your own good, avoid the temptation of talking to the other driver’s insurer and exchanging any form of correspondence, and if you must do so, involve your lawyer in the entire process. This is to avoid making any contradictions or errors that the company can capitalize on to deny you your fair dues.
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