After a car accident, your mind goes in a million different directions. You’re in pain, your car is damaged, and your loved ones might be hurt. It’s hard to remain focused and rational at that moment. The stress and confusion of a car accident cause people to make mistakes that could come back to harm them later.
The stakes after a car accident are high. You must educate yourself on the actions you should take after a collision to prepare if you are ever in one. Making the wrong move can affect your health, but it can also completely change your injury case’s outcome, devastating your finances.
Insurance adjusters look for any reason not to pay you the amount you deserve. In the chaos of accident aftermath, try to remember the top mistakes people make after a car accident, so you don’t risk your compensation.
Mistake 1: Underestimating Your Injuries
The number one mistake people make after a car accident is to underestimate their injuries. Right after an accident, many people don’t feel they need immediate medical attention. You may just feel a little sore and bruised and assume you aren’t seriously hurt.
Disregarding your injuries as typical soreness after a car accident can have drastic consequences. Injuries aren’t always apparent at first. You could be suffering from serious injuries you can’t see. Your pain could increase a few days after the accident, revealing you need more medical attention than you initially thought.
Getting a medical examination right after the accident also provides documentation of your injuries that you can use in your future personal injury case. An official statement of your injuries corroborated by a medical official is essential to prove you have a right to an insurance claim. You need to have evidence your injuries were a result of the actions of a negligent driver.
Mistake 2: Waiting Too Long To Take Action
If a negligent driver hurts you, you need to take action sooner rather than later. Waiting too long to act is another mistake injured people make after their accident. There are specific deadlines you need to abide by to get your case filed, or else your ability to sue will be lost. This period is called the Statute of Limitations.
The statute of limitations for car accident claims in Georgia is two years. It doesn’t matter how strong your claim is; if you don’t file it in time, you won’t receive the results you want. You have to file your Georgia accident claim before the two-year timeframe expires.
Even if you file it before the two-year window, the longer you wait, the less likely you will receive maximum compensation for your injuries. It is best to file your claim as soon as possible to avoid all of these complications with your case.
Mistake 3: Admitting Fault
After a car crash, even if you feel like you may have done something wrong, you should never admit fault. You will talk to witnesses, police, and insurance agents, and you mustn’t take the blame for the accident while discussing it. This is another mistake that could cost you your case.
If you admit fault, it could be used against you even if the other driver was the negligent one. The person responsible for the accident is the one who will have to take on the financial burden of it. You don’t want to harm your financial state by admitting fault at the scene of the accident.
Insurance companies look for any reason not to pay you what you deserve. Saying “I’m sorry” or “I tried to stop” may seem like a polite, harmless statement, but it could completely change the outcome of your injury claim.
Mistake 4: Not Calling The Police
Sometimes, the person you collide with will try and convince you not to call 911. That isn’t a wise choice. You should always call the police after a car accident. Your medical and financial well being depends on it.
Even if it’s a small fender-bender with minor injuries, you should dial 911. It may seem dramatic at the time, but it could make a significant difference in your injury case. The police will create an official report of the accident for your records. It provides sound evidence of what happened at the scene of the accident.
This written record could be the reason insurers believe that you deserve compensation after your accident. If you don’t have a record of the accident, you might not be able to file a claim. The police report can also supply insurers with evidence that the other driver was responsible for the crash.
Mistake 5: Trusting Your Insurance Company
Trusting your insurance company after a car accident can ruin your claim. They may seem friendly, but insurance adjusters are not genuinely trying to help you. Their job is to save their company money, not to pay you what you deserve.
They have tactics to pray off of the injured’s stress and insecurity. Insurance adjusters know that you are tired, frustrated, and in pain, and they want to exploit that. It’s tempting to trust them because you just want your case settled, but we urge you not to listen to them without legal counsel.
Insurance adjusters are trying to limit the payment you receive for your injuries. It’s that simple. Accepting the first offer they give you will not get you the money and results you truly deserve.
Contact An Attorney After An Accident
It’s challenging to navigate the aftermath of a car accident on your own. Insurance adjusters try to exploit you; you have to obtain the correct written records of the accident, and medical bills start to add up on top of the pain from your injuries. It’s all very overwhelming.
You don’t have to deal with the stress and frustration by yourself. The Nick Schnyder Law Firm is with you every step of the way. Obtaining experienced legal counsel is the best way to ensure you don’t make any of these mistakes when filing your claim. We will help you get the maximum compensation you can in your case.
We fight for our clients, and we know how to make insurance companies pay. If you’ve been injured in a car accident and you’re ready to get justice, contact The Nick Schnyder Law Firm to schedule your free consultation.
