Did you recently get into a car accident? If you have, you’re likely stressing out right worrying over what will happen moving forward. The uncertainty can cause you to think about it 24/7, affecting your ability to get a good night’s sleep or have a productive day at work.
The reality is that there are things you can’t control. If there is video footage or witness testimony that aligns with the property damage and bodily injury, it may feel like things are stacked against you. But even under those circumstances, there are things you can do to prevent the situation from getting any worse.
Keep in mind the following list of things you should never do after a car accident.
8 Things NOT To Do After a Car Accident
1. Never admit fault
Listen, even if you think you know everything that happened, you only know a portion of the story. You know whether you were paying attention to the road. You know whether you could’ve done something different to prevent the accident. But do you know what was going on with the other motorists involved in the accident? Were they distracted? Are their cars in proper working condition?
The reality is that accidents happen in a split second. Hindsight is 20/20 for a reason: It gives you time to take into account the totality of the circumstances when figuring out exactly what happened. If you’re 100% at fault, let the evidence show it. But if you’re 50% at fault, you don’t want to be on the hook for 100%.
Speak about the details of the accident only to your attorney. When speaking with the other motorists and the police officer preparing a report, limit yourself to generalities. Never lie, but don’t offer unsolicited information either.
2. Don’t trust the police report blindly
Once it’s been prepared, review it carefully. If the officer forgets to list a detail or includes a statement from the other party as a fact, it’ll be extremely hard to set the record straight once litigation has started.
3. Don’t rely just on your phone to store pictures
Some cases take a long time to get resolved, especially if there were major injuries or if any of the parties involved have had previous car accidents. If you lose your phone, if it stops working, if it gets stolen, or if it accidentally restores itself to factory settings, you’ll be out of luck. Use Google Photos or purchase cloud storage from your phone. Just make sure to have a backup storage method that uploads data automatically.
4. Don’t post about it on social media
If something is not posted on Instagram or Facebook, did it really happen? Yes, yes, it happened, and even the most vague of posts could be taken out of context. Don’t let anything you say be used against you. Even if your privacy settings only allow your friends to see what you post, you never know who knows whom and could access that information.
5. Don’t post anything about other activities
Even if you don’t post anything about the accident, posting about a ski trip, running a 5K, or going on a transatlantic trip while telling the opposing party that you have back issues that arose from the car accident is only going to undermine your credibility.
6. Do not speak with the other party
This includes their insurance company. Think about it: their paychecks depend on how adept they are at limiting the company’s liability. The more claims they deny and the lowest settlements they successfully achieve, the more they’ll thrive at their job. They also deal with car accident claims on a daily basis, so they know what questions to ask and which details to latch on to to twist things in their favor. So why would you talk to them? Wouldn’t it be better for someone who’s equally experienced to go to bat for you?
7. Do not sign anything
No matter how attractive an offer seems, or how reasonable the insurance company is making it sound, never sign anything without first having the opportunity to review the document with an attorney. And not just any attorney, but one that’s specifically been hired by you to represent you and only you.
8. Do not think that you can do this without a lawyer
You may be highly educated, or you may have dealt with a car accident before, or you think that with appropriate research, you’ll be able to understand certain concepts. While all of this may be true, each case is different. A car accident attorney is going to have years of practical experience. He or she will know about the nuances that can make or break a case. They can walk you through the entire process, explain the different types of compensation you could claim and tell you all about how settlement negotiations typically work.
If You’ve Been Involved in a Car Accident, Contact Clark Hartpence Law
If you or someone you love has been involved in an accident, call us at (855) 680-4911 or schedule a free consultation. At Clark Hartpence Law, we have experienced attorneys who regularly represent clients involved in motor vehicle accidents, and we can help you determine the best next step.
Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and does not create an attorney/client relationship.