When you’re involved in a car crash, there are going to be dozens of thoughts running through your mind. You might be worried about your passengers, concerned about others who were involved in the crash or angry about the other person’s actions. You might have a pet that ran off because of the collision or be frustrated looking for your phone in the wreckage.
It’s normal to feel frazzled and to need some help getting through the aftermath of a crash. While dealing with it, you should know that there are some things you should not do, because doing any of these things could hurt your ability to claim compensation from the other party.
You should not:
- Agree to handle the crash without the police
- Skip the hospital trip
- Admit fault
- Settle without talking to your attorney
Why? Here’s more on each of these points.
Don’t agree to handle the crash without the police
You should never agree to handle a crash that resulted in injuries without the police present. In fact, even if you think there were no injuries, it’s still better to get the police involved. Many injuries have delayed-onset symptoms, so you may not notice that you were hurt until later.
Don’t skip the hospital trip
The next thing to remember is that you should go to the hospital with the emergency team or by driving yourself. You need to have an examination performed by a medical provider, because they’ll be able to see if you have injuries you may not realize you suffered. They’ll start a paper trail, too, which is vital for your personal injury claim.
Don’t admit fault
Don’t admit fault after a crash, even if you think that you might be partially responsible. Allow the police, accident reconstruction experts and others determine fault. This helps protect your claim.
Don’t settle without talking to your attorney
Finally, remember that the insurance companies may start calling, but you don’t have to settle. You have the option to talk to your attorney first, and you should. They can help by negotiating for a better settlement or representing you at trial.
Don’t make these mistakes after a crash. Remember, your actions could influence your claim.