Unfortunately, car accidents are among the most common daily occurrences in the United States. According to statistics from the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, an American is treated every 10 seconds for an injury caused by an auto accident. Annually, car crashes cost Americans $99 billion in medical bills and lost productivity, plus a whole lot more for repair bills. In short, car accidents in the States are a huge problem.
As you should be well aware, being involved in a car accident often results in a visit from car accidents lawyers. If you were the at-fault party in an accident and the other person feels they are due recompense, then chances are pretty good that you will be contacted to make good on a car accident injury claim. Needless to say, car accident settlements can be quite costly, but if you play it smart, you may never have to worry about it. Here are some things you really shouldn’t do after an accident, assuming you want to avoid issues with car accidents lawyers.
Four Things Only an Idiot Would Do After a Car Accident
- Leave the Accident Scene
- Fail to Call the Police
- Admit You’re the at-Fault Party
- Act Like a Jerk
As FindLaw.com writes, one of the biggest mistakes you can make after a car accident is fleeing the scene. In some states, leaving the scene of an accident before speaking with the other party and contacting relevant authorities can result in felony charges. Unless you want to have to deal with criminal charges and any civil issues, do the right thing.
After an accident, it can be tempting to offer the other party some cash in hopes of settling the issue out of court, but guess what? Just because you give them cash doesn’t mean that they aren’t going to take down your license plate and report you anyway. As How Stuff Works suggests, you really need to call the police and wait for them to come and fill out an accident report. This is crucial to protecting yourself.
As any car accidents lawyers will tell you, if you want to be blamed for a car accident, thereby rendering yourself responsible for medical fees, repair bills, and lost wages, go ahead and admit you’re to blame following an accident. I mean, seriously, you might as well just give the other driver your bank account number. As NRMA Insurance points out, the less you say about the cause of the accident to the other driver, the better off you’ll be.
Look, it’s only understandable for you to feel upset after an accident. After all, your car is damaged, you might be hurt, and tensions are running high. Unless you want to give the other party ammunition to use against you in a court case, however, you need to relax. Shouting obscenities is the surest way to prove that you suffer from road rage, making it more likely you were the cause of the accident.
Follow these tips and your chances of having an unpleasant encounter with a personal injury accident lawyer decrease. While not being an idiot won’t guarantee you won’t see a courtroom, it certainly can’t hurt your chances. More like this article.
