You never plan to get into a traffic accident. Making a plan for what you should and should not do following a collision, however, is important to be ready to protect your rights to compensation after a negligent driver hits you.
So, here’s what you should know in terms of actions that can hurt future auto accident claims or cases.
When a Crash Happens, Do NOT:
- Apologize or tell anyone you caused the accident – This can be interpreted as you admitting blame for the accident. So stick to the facts when talking to other involved motorists, the police and insurance companies. Never apologize, admit blame or let them trick you into accepting any blame. This mistake can result in claim denials, meaning you lose out on the entirety of the compensation to which you otherwise would have been entitled.
- Avoid seeing a doctor or complying with the doctor’s orders – Doctors’ assessments, reports, prognosis and orders will all usually be important to car accident claims. That’s because they will reveal the extent of the injuries caused by the accident and whether a victim may be entitled to compensation for future treatment needs. If you don’t see a doctor or you don’t follow his or her orders, you may be weakening a future claim by providing an opportunity to argue that the accident didn’t cause your injuries and/or you are not as badly injured from the accident as you have contended. Such arguments can be used to significantly undercut – if not deny – a future auto accident claim.
- Make an official statement to an insurance company before you are prepared to – Official statements can be recorded, and what you say during them can affect your claim. So, do not agree to a recorded or official statement until or unless you are ready to provide one. When you do end up giving this statement, only stick to the facts, don’t lie and don’t let insurers try to trick you into accepting any blame for the collision.
- Cash checks an insurance company sends you – If it’s not clear by now, you clearly cannot rely on insurance companies to look out for you after an accident when it’s time to file a claim and get a payout. In theme with this, don’t cash any check an insurer sends you. This could be an underhanded way of the company trying to get you to inadvertently accept the check as the full settlement – and chances are that the check is for an amount that is far less than the full amount deserved.
Contact a Denver Car Accident Attorney at the Klibaner Law Firm
Have you been injured in a traffic accident? If so, a Denver car accident attorney at the Klibaner Law Firm is here for you, ready to aggressively advocate your rights to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
To learn more about your options and how we can help you, contact our firm today by calling us at (303) 863-1445 or emailing us using the contact form on this page. From our offices based in Denver, our attorneys provide superior representation to injured people throughout the Denver metro area and Colorado.