When you are involved in an auto accident, you are often upset, feeling a little scattered and it can be hard to think clearly. People often make mistakes when they have been involved in accident that could hurt your case. Here are the top 5 mistakes people make when involved in an accident:

1. NOT GETTING IMMEDIATE MEDICAL CARE.

If you are hurt in an auto accident, you need to seek medical care immediately. Insurance companies will often use it against you, often arguing that if you were injured, then you would have sought medical attention. If you are experiencing any pain after being involved in an auto accident, no matter how minor you think your pain is, go directly to an ER or urgent care center in order to document your injuries.

2. NOT GETTING FOLLOW UP MEDICAL TREATMENT.

After you have received initial medical attention for your injuries, insurance companies pay great attention to whether follow-up medical treatment is necessary, is performed and is consistent. Trauma specialists often advocate beginning therapeutic modalities promptly. When follow-up treatment is delayed or inconsistent, it can lead to difficulties in getting authorizations and can affect medical-legal issues in establishing causation. To avoid these issues, it is important to seek treatment with a trauma care specialist promptly.

3. ADOPTING A WAIT AND SEE APPROACH.

It is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible after being involved in an auto accident. In accident case, there may often be important evidence that needs to be preserved. Some claims require that notice of claim to the potential adverse party. If you wait, you can be sure that the insurance company is working to limit their exposure to pay you less.

4. TRUSTING THE INSURANCE COMPANY.

Insurance companies often want you to believe that they are on your side, but this is not always the case. You need to be cautious and be aware of quick cash offers which will not accurately reflect the full economic and non-economic value of your claim. Before you accept any cash offer to settle your injury claim, contact an experienced attorney first.

5. TALKING WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY BEFORE TALKING TO AN ATTORNEY.

After an being involved in an auto accident, you will need to contact your insurance company and property damage adjusters in order to report the claim and subsequently schedule an inspection of your vehicle. These are important and should not be avoided. But, there are a few things to consider before when talking to your insurance company before talking to an attorney. First, the insurance company may try to record a statement from you, which they may use against you to deny your claim. Or they may ask you to sign something that ends you claim altogether, which usually results in very low offers than which your are entitled.

If you or a family member has been injured, due to the negligence of others, please call us at (609) 645-1111 to learn more. We would be happy to arrange for a confidential free consultation.