Thinking of claiming compensation after a car accident? Here are a few things to think about beforehand, so you avoid some key mistakes.
When you are involved in a car accident, things can get terrifying very quickly. Nobody wants to be on the receiving end of being in a road traffic accident, either as a driver or as a passenger. This article discusses the 6 most common mistakes people make after a car accident, which can affect their ability to launch a claim. Here are a few mistakes you should avoid if you are in a car accident.
The 6 Things to Avoid When You Want to File a Car Accident Lawsuit
What are the 6 mistakes you should look out for when filing a car accident lawsuit? Consider the following.
1 – Not Hiring a Lawyer
You need one thing to file a car accident lawsuit, even if you don’t have anything else – and that’s a
car accident lawyer. Make sure you hire a specialist in this capacity since car accidents are a specialist area of law. A family lawyer won’t do. Make it a specialist and get the car accident lawsuit filed correctly the first time around.
2 – Not going to the ER
If you don’t go to
the emergency room, how is the court to know that you were injured? You should always go for a checkup after a car accident, but especially so if you are going to claim compensation. Why? This official record goes on your medical notes, which you can use in court to prove you suffered an injury, and when. This leads us to point number two…
3 – Not Calling the Police
You want to have as many official records of what happened at the scene of the accident as possible. If you are not so incapacitated that paramedics take you away in an ambulance, then you need to
make a full police report. Be sure that they take your statement so that your side of the story is in writing. These are formal records of events that no one can tamper with, which makes them important for your case.
4 – Forgetting Evidence
When you are in an accident, the
insurance company will fight you every step of the way to avoid making a pay-out. If you want to successfully fight them, you need to document the scene of the accident to help your case. If insurers know which direction you were travelling in and can see from the photos that you are on the right side of the road, they can’t blame you for being at fault. It’s not this straightforward, but this is why documentation is key. Take plenty of pictures.
5 – Not completing all the paperwork
If you don’t go down the route of hiring a lawyer, the defence stands to eat you alive. If you don’t complete all the paperwork on time and file it in the correct order, you may as well not bother seeking compensation.
6 – Accepting the First Offer
Lastly, those who make a successful claim for a car accident should avoid accepting those first offers. If you hold out, you will do better. Be careful out there, and never forget your worth.
