5 Things You Should NOT do Following a Car Accident
Knowing things you should not do following a car accident might help other long term complications following a crash.
Taking photos and gathering information are beneficial, but there are multiple things you should not do following a car accident.
In 2022, there were over 55,000 police reports filed regarding car accidents. Car accidents can result in serious injuries, such as:
- Neck injuries
- Visual impairment
- Head injuries
- Cuts and lacerations
- Back injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Hand injuries like broken bones
- Punctured or damaged organs
- Foot injuries like fractured bones
- Paralysis
- Wrongful death
If you are in a crash, there are things you should not do following a car accident. Acting in such a way can potentially affect the outcome of your case.
Leaving the scene – regardless of the situation, it’s important to stay at the scene of a car accident. Not doing so can lead to serious consequences.
Leaving the scene doesn’t guarantee immunity from a crash. The other driver may have a dashcam to record the accident, and in today’s society ubiquitous with technology, someone can easily use their phone to take a photo of your license plate number.
In California, those leaving the scene of a car accident can be found guilty of a misdemeanor.
Admitting fault – even if you believe you were at fault, it’s important to maintain a level of moderacy when reporting the accident to police or communicating with the other driver.
Admitting fault to an accident will pretty much throw out any potential claim you might have. It can become difficult to find a lawyer to represent you.
Talking with the other party’s insurance on your own – following an accident, you may receive a call from the other party’s insurance. It’s important not to take this call.
If you speak with the other party’s insurance, they will often try to bully, or even intimidate you. Their job is to help their client, not you.
You can always reject the call, or ask them to speak with your attorney.
Posting about the accident on social media – while we often use social media to share updates on our lives, posts about your car accident can be detrimental to a claim.
It’s important to avoid any and all social media posts regarding your crash, especially those post-accident. Images of you partaking in activities following a car accident can be used against you by the other law firm.
It’s best if you can avoid social media posts all together following a car accident.
Not hiring a personal injury attorney – of all the things you should not do following a car accident, ignoring the fact you need a personal injury attorney is near the top of the list.
Taking on the other insurance company without assistance from an attorney can be difficult. They may try getting you to admit things you should not do following a car accident.
It’s of great benefit to have an attorney to answer questions relating to the legality of your case. A personal injury attorney’s goal should be to help you get the maximum compensation possible following a car accident.
Even if you accidentally performed one of the things you should not do following a car accident, you should still seek help from an LA car accident attorney.
At C&B Law Group, our team of Los Angeles personal injury attorneys are prepared to help you following a car crash.
We will roll up our sleeves to ensure you receive damages, including potential compensation for damages including:
- Medical bills and expenses
- Loss of wages
- Pain and suffering
While there are many things you should not do following a car accident, there are things you SHOULD do, including:
- Gathering the other drivers’ information
- Filing a police report
- Taking photos and videos of the accident scene
- Remaining calm after the crash
For further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact the LA attorneys at C&B Law Group today regarding your free car accident consultation.
