Let’s face it, when you’re involved in a car accident, it’s very likely that it’s your first. Chances are, it’s also the first for many others. Because of this, most people don’t have the experience of what happens next. There are pitfalls to avoid. Even if the other party is at fault, it doesn’t necessarily mean that everything will go your way. You may make mistakes without realizing it. The only way around this is not to make mistakes in the first place, so let’s take a look at what these are.

1. Refusing Medical Attention

Do not refuse medical attention because if you do, it can hurt your claim. If you refuse medical attention, there could be a dispute between you and the insurance company. When you make your claim, the insurance company is likely to say that your injuries can’t have been serious because you refused medical attention.

2. Not Reporting The Accident

Make sure to report the accident, or ask your lawyer to do so within one week of the accident. Depending on a company’s policy, you may have more time, but there is definitely a time limit to report it, so make sure to do so. If you do not, the insurance company can deny your claim. With insurance companies, you don’t want to give them any opportunity to deny a claim.

3. Not Taking Photos Of Car/Scene

In a car accident where more than one party is concerned, there will always be contradictions as to whose fault it was and how it happened. Each will blame the other. However, if you have photos of the cars and the scene, such as skid marks, damage to the cars, injuries and other relevant documentation, this can be difficult to refute. If the other party was at fault, you can now show that it was negligence on their part by submitting such visual proof. As soon as you are able, (if not, ask someone to do it on your behalf), get this proof before anyone else touches anything or cleans up the evidence.

4. Not Being Cautious Talking To The Insurance Adjuster

This is where many people shoot themselves in the foot. In fact, the only person you should be speaking with about the accident is your personal injury lawyer and nobody else. Do not talk about the accident to anyone else. If you do, you could say something that will come back to bite you. An insurance adjuster will call. It may all seem casual and put you in a relaxed, talkative state. Remember, insurance adjusters will try to either NOT pay you or settle this with the least amount of money. A call may even be recorded. Don’t say things like taking your eyes off the road for a second or getting distracted by a beautiful lady driver next to you when the accident happened. Tell the adjuster that they should speak with your personal injury lawyer and not to call again.

5. Don’t Get Cute On Social Media

“Damn, got hurt in accident. This chick winked at me and I chased her. Next thing you know…BOOM! Slammed into guy making a right turn.” You might think posting this on Facebook is going to get you lots of laughs and sympathy. Guess what? The opposing lawyer may be investigating this and do a screenshot as evidence. Even if you delete it, you’ve just lost your case. The bottom line is, don’t say anything to anyone or post anything anywhere.

Whether you’re right or wrong, you will need legal help. This will give you the best outcome, even if you’re in the wrong, believe it or not, so act fast to find one to represent you.