It can be tough to think clearly in the immediate aftermath of an accident, but you really need to be careful about what you do or say in the minutes, hours, and days following a crash. Many drivers make mistakes that make it more difficult to claim compensation for their injuries and hold negligent drivers accountable for the harm that they have caused. Here’s a look at some errors a Snohomish County auto accident lawyer would recommend that you avoid.

What Are Some Common Mistakes Made By Accident Victims?

You have to start thinking about protecting yourself and potentially building a personal injury case against another driver as soon as the accident happens. That means that you should avoid mistakes like:

Admitting fault: Saying anything that even remotely sounds like an admittance of fault is a bad idea. Don’t even say that you’re sorry because of the inconvenience of having to pull over and wait for the cops to come and make their report. Just keep conversation to a minimum.

Not taking pictures: Photos can be valuable evidence in a personal injury suit. You should get photographs of the crash scene, the damage to the vehicles, and your injuries.

Giving statements to insurers: If you are contacted by the other driver’s insurance company, you should not give them any kind of statement. They can use what you say against you to deny their own liability.

Not calling the cops: You should always have the cops come out to fill out a report and ensure that the other driver is giving you real contact and insurance info.

Posting to social media: It’s tough to claim that you have serious injuries if you post a bunch of photos of your recent hike or 10K fun run to Instagram. If you are thinking about pursuing damages, maybe you should just cut back on any posting activity for a bit.

Taking the first offer: The first settlement offer from the other insurance company is often insufficient. We recommend contacting our law firm to learn more about how much compensation you could win if you file a lawsuit.

Do I Really Have to Call the Police to the Scene?

Technically, you are only required to call the police to an accident scene if someone is injured or property damage exceeds a certain amount. Not calling them can be one of your big mistakes though, for two reasons. One, sometimes it can be difficult to tell that you are injured right away. If you get into a seemingly minor crash and don’t have a police report made, you may have issues making a claim if you discover an injury in the following days.

The second issue is that car repairs are expensive. It’s not easy to eyeball some damage to a vehicle and determine that it’s just a small repair. Unless you work in a body shop, we would avoid the guessing and just call the police to the accident scene.

Schedule Your Case Consultation

When you are ready to fight for the compensation that you deserve, we are ready to back you up. Contact Amy C Brown Law, PLLC to schedule a consultation and learn more about what our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys can do to assist you.