What Not To Do After A Car Accident

Making the wrong moves after a car accident can make things worse for everyone. You must be smart and avoid doing things that damage your legal rights, your health, and your compensation. Read on for some things that you should never do after a car accident.

Stay Put

You must remain at the scene of the accident, and you should preferably remain with your vehicle until instructed to do otherwise. Getting out of your car and walking around can be dangerous in heavy traffic. You may also be more injured than you know and you could be making things worse by walking around. If you are unable to physically sit in your vehicle, sit on the ground in a safe location.

Remain Silent

Although you must speak to law enforcement and medical personnel, let that be the extent of your communications. You may not be as well as you think you are and you may end up saying something you should not to the wrong person. For example, some drivers are so shaken up that they tell the other driver that they are sorry about the accident. That is akin to admitting liability. Even if you think you may have caused the accident, now is not the time to say so. You don't have to admit to anything at the scene and you can legitimately say that you are not sure what happened at the time of the accident. The wrong thing said could cause you untold problems being paid for your damages later.

Gather Evidence

If you are able, gather evidence at the scene. That means taking photos of the vehicles, the general accident scene, skid marks, and injuries to you and others. If you are not hurt badly, collect insurance and contact information from the other driver. However, if the accident took place in the city limits, law enforcement will respond and create an accident report.

Get Medical Treatment

You must seek medical help and the sooner the better. Even if you believe your injuries to be minor, let a medical professional make that determination for you. Many serious injuries occur after an accident, leaving some victims unprepared for the consequences.

Don't Communicate With the Other Driver

Avoid speaking with the other driver, their passengers, or their insurance company. You may be called by the other driver's insurer, but you are under no obligation to talk to them. Never negotiate with the other driver's insurer about a settlement. Speak instead to a personal injury lawyer and they will handle that task for you.

Contact a local personal injury lawyer to learn more.