5 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Car Accident Claim

Tucker is a city in Georgia that is home to over 38,000 people. The city is a beautiful blend of old city charm as well as the new city buzz that brings people in.

However, the city also sees its fair share of car accidents. Car accidents are bound to bring losses: physical, mental, and financial. If a person is injured, they need to hire local legal help to try to get some compensation for the losses they face, even if they are partially at fault.

Local lawyers, such as the Tucker car accident lawyers at Gonzalez Torres Law, understand the local laws very well. They can take the measures to ensure that their clients’ cases are solid and that they do not make any mistakes that may ruin their claim.

This blog explores some of the common errors accident victims make that ruin their claims.

Mistake 1: Not Seeking Immediate Medical Attention

The time following an accident is critical; it’s absolute chaos, adrenaline is high, people looking, too much noise, and everything is a blur. But the most crucial thing is ensuring safety.

Victims often brush off getting medical attention, thinking that they feel just fine, but the truth is, the adrenaline that the body pumps after an accident often masks the severity of one’s condition. Not getting immediate medical attention or not conducting a thorough checkup will likely cost the victim their accident claim.

The insurance companies or the defense can use a late checkup as a reason to deny the victim’s claim, stating that the injuries were unrelated.

Mistake 2: Admitting Fault at the Scene

People often have the tendency to apologize after an accident, not realizing the massive damage a single apology could cause. If the victim just says “I’m sorry” to others involved or even the cops, they could interpret it as an admission of guilt, leaving the victim to take full blame for the accident.

It is important to let the involved parties do the necessary investigations to determine fault. Though this does not mean that victims do not cooperate, they just need to stick to the facts that they know.

Mistake 3: Not Collecting Enough Evidence

Evidence is the key to a successful claim, and the more evidence the victim can get, the better. The defense could use a lack of evidence as a reason to deny fault. But taking too long to start collecting evidence could result in a wild goose chase, which is why it is best to start collecting evidence right after the accident.

The victim could collect evidence such as:

• Photos and videos of their injuries
• Photos and videos of the property damage
• Photos and videos of the accident scene
• Witness statements
• Police report
• Surveillance footage

Mistake 4: Talking to the Insurance Company Without Legal Help

Insurance companies are businesses, meaning their main aim is to protect themselves, and they will take several measures to try to decrease or deny payouts.

People often do not understand this and speak freely with insurance adjusters, who are employees of insurance companies. They could twist the victim’s statements to try to back out of paying them. This, and many other reasons, are why victims must let their lawyers handle or at least be present during conversations with the insurance companies.

Mistake 5: Delaying Your Claim or Missing Deadlines

Car accident claims, like most personal injury claims, come with deadlines, also known as the statute of limitations. These deadlines are established by the state governments, allowing victims the time to fully understand and prepare for the claim but also not allowing too much time to pass by, which may lead to questionable evidence.

Missing this deadline will lead to the victim’s claim being denied. To avoid denial, it is best to hire a car accident lawyer early on, as they will be well aware of the local laws as well as the procedures to ensure a smooth claims process.