Avoid These 6 Mistakes After A Car Accident
Getting injured in a car accident causes all sorts of stress, from emotional, to physical, to financial.
No one wants to deal with the aftermath of a car accident, and most people just want to get their lives back to the way they were as soon as possible.
If you've been in an car accident, it's important to see a car accident chiropractor as soon as possible.
While many people have a good idea of what they need to do after a car accident, it's just as important to know what not to do.
An innocent mistake could cost you thousands of dollars in your settlement.
Avoiding making avoidable mistakes after your car accident will give your attorney the ability to get you every dollar of compensation you deserve.
Below, we'll talk about six of the most common mistakes people make after a car accident.
Table of Contents
Not Calling The Police
Leaving The Scene Of The Accident
Admitting Guilt
Skipping The Doctor
Not Gathering Evidence
Trusting The Insurance Company
BONUS
Advanced Injury Care
1. Not Calling The Police
Most people are hesitant to get the police involved after a car accident.
It's a lot of hassle, paperwork, and it'll eat up more of your time.
However, you should always call the police after a car accident. Sometimes it's even required.
You have to call the police if anyone was hurt, or there was damage to a vehicle greater than $1,000.
It's required by law to call the police in most cases, but it's also beneficial to have the police document the accident and give you an accident report.
The report will make the insurance claim process much smoother because it has all of the critical information in one place.
Also, the police report will remove any doubt between the parties about the events that occurred during the accident.
-back to top
2. Leaving The Scene Of The Accident
It's illegal to leave the scene of a car accident if anyone has been injured or any damage has been done to someone else's property.
You are required by law to at the very least stop and exchange information with the other involved parties.
Leaving the scene of an accident is a hit and run, and could land you in jail.
If you're hurt, you should obviously stop and get the name, contact information, and insurance information from the individual who caused the accident.
Without this information it will be impossible for you to get compensated for your injuries.
-back to top
3. Admitting Guilt
It's completely natural to want to resolve things as quickly as possible so you can put the whole ordeal behind you.
The first thing most people do to resolve the accident is say, "I'm sorry."
You probably think you and everyone else involved in the accident will feel better if you just apologize.
But the reality is that apologizing should be the last thing you ever do after a car accident.
If your case makes it to trial, most states allow the other party to tell the jury the things you said after the car accident.
Apologizing after a car accident is basically admitting guilt, and you never want to admit guilt, whether it's your fault or not.
Your words can negatively impact your case just as much as the accident itself.
It's in your best interest to not say anything after your accident. Let your lawyer do the talking.
-back to top
4. Skipping The Doctor
Everyone should seek medical attention after a car accident, even if you don't feel injured.
After a car accident you have adrenaline flowing through your body, so you are less likely to realize how seriously injured you actually are.
Sometimes it takes hours or even days to start feeling the ill effects of your accident.
Your health should be your number one priority after your car accident.
And, if you don't see a doctor immediately after your accident, the insurance company might argue that the car accident didn't injure you. If it did, you would have gone to the doctor.
Don't put your health at risk and don't give the insurance company a reason to doubt your injuries.
See a doctor right away after the accident and follow their directions carefully.
-back to top
5. Not Gathering Evidence
This might seem like the job of the officer who responds to the accident, but you should do a little police work here as well.
Pictures of the accident are a powerful piece of evidence that you can use to your advantage.
They can help show how the accident happened and who was responsible for it.
If it's possible, try to take pictures before the vehicles are moved so you can capture the true scene of the accident.
Get pictures of all points of impact as well as any other relevant details such as tire marks or bushes that could have obscured a driver's view.
-back to top
6. Trusting The Insurance Company
A good rule of thumb is that for every dollar that the insurance company refuses to pay you, they keep a dollar in profit.
Every insurance company has an incentive to deny quality claims.
They also have a reason to try to convince you that the settlement they are offering is the best you're going to get, while they are actually on paying you pennies on the dollar.
It's worth your while to speak with an attorney and have him or her evaluate your claim.
They can give the confidence to know that you are getting a fair deal, or they can let you know if the insurance company is trying to commit highway robbery.
-back to top
BONUS: Skipping The Chiropractor
Wait, skipping the chiropractor is one of the biggest mistakes I can make after a car accident?
In most cases, yes.
We mentioned going to the doctor earlier, and if you have deep cuts abrasions or broken bones, definitely go to the emergency room.
But many injuries people sustain after car accidents aren't visible, like whiplash and other soft tissue injuries.
That's the area chiropractors specialize in.
Chiropractors reduce pain symptoms naturally by adjusting your body and optimizing its functionality.
They find what's causing your pain and discomfort and treat it at the source.
Traditional doctors will usually prescribe harmful pain medications that don't address the root of the problem and only masks the symptoms.
The pain medications are often unnecessary and harmful.
Chiropractors use holistic and natural treatment techniques that will repair your injury for good.
-back to top
Advanced Injury Care
If you've been in a car accident and you'd like to see a chiropractor, you need to get in touch with Advanced Injury Care.
Advanced Injury Care has one goal in mind; to help people injured in car accidents with their physical and financial recovery.
To achieve their goals, they spent years learning and perfecting the recovery process, which led them to help accident victims by providing them with chiropractic care.
They will also provide attorney referrals to the best attorneys in their area to help you with your financial recovery.
To get started with Advanced Injury Care today, click the button below.