When a person is involved in any type of accident, the immediate moments are chaotic and overwhelming.
However, it’s during this critical time that the foundation is laid for a successful insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
Accident victims should consider filing a personal injury claim with the help of their lawyer as soon as possible. Delaying could lead to unfavorable consequences.
Why the Immediate Moments after an Accident Are Crucial
The immediate moments after an accident are crucial because of the following reasons.
- Preservation of Evidence: If you want to preserve evidence, you must take pictures, videos, and even physical evidence that will help you support any claim you want to make later on. The reason you should take this seriously is because the accident scene provides useful evidence that you cannot get later on.
- Witness Statements: Witnesses can provide valuable testimony about the accident. You can get witness statements immediately after the accident because you may not be able to track them down later and get them to cooperate.
- Injuries and Medical Treatment: Seeking medical attention immediately after an accident is crucial. It provides the evidence you need to prove that you were involved in the accident. It also provides you with a causal link to prove that your injuries resulted from the accident.
- Notifying the Insurance Company: Notifying your insurance company promptly after an accident is crucial for initiating the claims process. This will ensure that there are no delays so that you can get timely financial assistance. Hire a lawyer to help you when you want to pursue your claim.
Common Mistakes to Avoid After an Accident
Since you know what to do after an accident, you should also know the mistakes you should avoid. They are discussed below.
- Failing to call the police is a serious error that could even lead to legal consequences like being charged with failure to report an accident.
- People make mistakes when dealing with insurance companies, such as engaging with the insurance company without their lawyer available to help them. Signing the settlement offer without negotiation or failing to present evidence that will help their claims is also a common mistake.
- Some accident victims fail to get witness statements that can help corroborate their claims.
- Accident victims also make the mistake of failing to get immediate medical attention after an accident. They think they are okay because they are not in pain. Sometimes, those who do get treatment may fail to follow through with their doctor’s recommendations or keep records of medical treatment that can help prove their claim.
- Some accident victims intentionally withhold pre-existing conditions that may show that they contributed to the accident that occurred, resulting in reduced compensation. However, failure to disclose this information can harm their credibility and reduce their chances of receiving fair compensation.
Conclusion
To get fair compensation and protect your rights after suffering an accident, you must take the immediate moments after your accident seriously. Also be sure to get the help that you deserve from competent medical professionals and lawyers.
