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A car accident is an upsetting event. Fear, anger, and other emotions bombard you at the accident scene. Making mistakes that could undermine your ability to collect an insurance settlement is easy in this state of mind. If the best personal injury lawyer in Las Vegas were with you at the accident scene, that person would warn you about these common car accident mistakes.

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1. Don’t Let Your Emotions Take Over.

Immediately after a collision, your emotions could boil over. A heated exchange with the other driver could result. You must try to manage your emotions and avoid arguing or making accusations. You might say something that will be used against you by the other driver’s insurance company.

As difficult as it may be, try to simply deal with the problem. Ask for the person’s contact and insurance information and provide your own. Do not pursue conversation beyond these necessities.

 

2. Don’t Skip Calling the Police.

An official accident report from local law enforcement is a valuable tool when preparing your insurance claim. The responding officer might document important evidence or even ticket the other driver, which may improve your legal position. If the other driver is being combative, you can ask the police officer to gather the necessary contact and insurance information for you. Additionally, most officers have body cameras on them and video is recorded of their communications with the other driver.

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3. Don’t Forget to Take Pictures of the Accident Scene.

Your smartphone can quickly collect valuable images from the accident scene. If you are at all able, take images of:

  • Street location
  • Position of vehicles
  • Vehicle damage
  • Your injuries
  • Other vehicle’s VIN and license plate
  • ID and insurance card of another driver

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4. Don’t Refuse Medical Care.

The cost of medical services frequently provokes people to decline care. Las Vegas injury attorneys recommend that accident victims go to an emergency room, urgent care clinic, or their doctors the same day as the crash. This creates an official medical record associated with the accident. An insurance settlement for your medical expenses relies on healthcare providers’ documentation.

An immediate medical check is valuable because you might not fully grasp the extent of your injuries at first, and shock can mask the pain for hours. If you suffered a blow to the head, you might not realize that you have a concussion.

If children were in the vehicle with you, have a doctor look at them as well. Some children are very sweet and will withhold information about being hurt when they see parents having a bad day. They don’t want to add to your distress. Furthermore, young children might not know how to communicate a problem.

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5. Don’t Say Sorry or Apologize Unless You are Responsible for Causing the Crash.

Admitting fault will very likely derail your chances of collecting compensation for your injuries. If you have a personality prone to apologizing whenever something goes wrong, you must resist this urge at a car accident scene. Even if you typically say sorry for when something goes wrong – even though it did not go wrong for any actions you took – you must avoid saying sorry or apologizing at the scene. The other driver who caused the crash may use your apology as proof that you admitted to be responsible for the crash. To protect your interests, you should allow the determination of fault to be worked out by your Las Vegas injury attorney.

6. Don’t Assume You Can’t Fight a Traffic Ticket.

Getting a traffic ticket at the scene of an accident does not automatically remove the chance of recovering damages. The other driver might have been more in error than you were, and the police officer might have made a mistake in citing you for a traffic violation.

It is in your best interest to request a hearing as soon as possible and fight your traffic ticket. The court might agree with you. If that happens, you have removed an issue that an insurance company might exploit against you.

7. Don’t Share Information About Your Accident, Especially on Social Media.

You never know who an investigator might contact about your accident. You should avoid talking about your accident and not post information on social media about it. An insurer might use a statement to your friends like “I’m OK” to say that you exaggerate your physical problems. Insurance companies are known to hire outside vendors to do a complete review of your online profile and any social media posts you have ever done following a collision which has caused personal injuries.

8. Don’t Put Off Contacting Your Insurance Company.

Auto insurance contracts typically require you to inform the company about accidents within 24 hours. You should comply with this requirement. Hiring a personal injury lawyer can help you through the process of contacting your insurance company and complying with all your insurance requirements.

9. Don’t Accept a Fast Settlement.

An insurer might appear cooperative by offering to write you a check right away. Everyone likes fast fixes to unpleasant problems, but that first offer might be unreasonably low. In the first days after an accident, you might not realistically know how much medical care you need. You want the advice of an accident attorney in Las Vegas before accepting any offer, especially when it comes right away.

10. Don’t Assume a Las Vegas Personal Injury Lawyer Is Unnecessary.

Insurance policies are not easy to understand by design. This places you in the position of taking an insurance company’s word about how much compensation you can collect. A car accident lawyer in Las Vegas can provide you with an independent assessment of available coverage and explain every type of expense that you can legitimately claim. In reality, forgoing legal advice could cost you more money than working with a lawyer who might maximize your settlement.

Speak to a Car Accident Lawyer In Las Vegas Now

Lach Injury Law has the resources to defend you from powerful insurers that want to limit your compensation. You don’t have to pursue compensation alone after a car accident leaves you hurting and unable to work. Contact our office for a free consultation right away for your Key To Maximum Results!

 

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