A car accident can happen at any time, meaning you should be prepared for any eventuality. You are entitled to full compensation if the accident resulted from the other driver’s negligence and ignorance. However, being involved in an accident can elicit heightened emotions, trauma and confusion. It would help if you remain level-headed throughout the entire process until your case was settled. Keep reading this article to learn the key mistakes you should avoid in a personal injury claim.

Handing over a recorded statement to your insurance company

Unfortunately, the insurance company is not your friend during adversity, such as a car accident. Nine times out of ten, they are only concerned with ways in which they can gain financially from this tragedy. It would be best not to give a recorded statement of your accident as if you are interviewing on live television. Even though they seem sympathetic to your situation, they might find loopholes in your statement that will allow them to give you less compensation than you deserve.

Not calling the police

It would be best to call the police even though it was a small bump in and minor injuries. A police statement and police accident report are crucial to your personal injury claim if your injuries worsen with time. Please don’t let the other driver involved in the accident persuade you not to call the police.

Refusing medical attention after an accident

We suggest you seek medical attention at the accident scene, even though you feel fine. The body enters into a fight-or-flight mode during an accident, and adrenalin courses through your body. The adrenalin masks any pain and symptoms until after the threat has passed, so you might think you are not seriously injured. If you start to experience serious injuries days or weeks after your accident, the defendant’s insurance provider might use your negligence against you.

Lying to your doctor

As you visit the doctor for a physical examination, it would help if you were truthful regarding the events that happened during the accident. Please explain the extent of your injuries without downplaying them or exaggerating them. If the defendant’s insurance provider finds out you misrepresented your injuries; they will begin to doubt your statements and find ways to drop the case.

Not seeking legal counsel

One of the biggest mistakes you can make is handling your injury claim independently. A car accident attorney will represent you in court and protect you from attorneys and insurance companies hoping to take advantage of you at a moment’s notice. You could type contact an accident attorney near me in the Google search bar to get the best attorneys near you. It would be best to choose a reputable car accident attorney that will give you an audience at your hour of need.

Failing to document everything at the scene of the accident

Immediately after you ascertain you are not badly injured, it would help if you got out of the car and took photographs of the accident. If any witnesses were involved, ensure you record their names and addresses before they leave. You should also record any police statements and medical documents that could prove useful if the case escalates and winds up in court.

Hiding past accidents from your accident attorney

We suggest you let your attorney know of any accidents you have had in the past. This knowledge will help them identify potential pitfalls and determine how best to maneuver your case. If the other driver finds out you hid details of a previous accident, they might argue that they are not to blame for your injuries and try to get themselves off the hook. The insurance providers will also begin to question your truthfulness.

Not following the doctor’s instructions

It would help if you listened to your doctor and followed their instructions to the letter. If you fail to listen and continue doing what you think is best, the defendant’s insurance provider will claim that your injuries were not caused by the accident. Even though you feel fine, do what the doctor tells you to do until they give you a clean bill of health.

Wrapping up

Fortunately, most drivers can settle personal injury claims before the matter gets to court. However, if the other party refuses to compensate you or is unwilling to settle, the only option is to sue for damages. We hope you will not repeat the mistakes outlined in the article above. Be smarter!