When you are involved in a car accident, both what you do and do not do afterward can have a big impact on how much compensation you are able to seek. Knowing what to do after a car accident before you get into one is always best, but each accident is different and outlined steps, while good for guidance, may not be applicable in every case.
Following a car accident, you may be too injured to take pictures, interview witnesses, and collect information from the other driver. If your injury is severe, you will probably not have the opportunity to do anything on the scene of the accident. This makes what you do in the days, weeks, and months following all the more important.
Common Mistakes After a Car Accident
Victims of car accidents may not be able to take action on the scene of the accident. In the confusion following, victims of injury may not be sure where to turn for assistance in navigating the legal field or understanding their rights. Contacting Chattanooga car accident lawyer Herbert Thornbury to discuss your options is a great first step in protecting your best interests. In fact, failing to contact an attorney is among the most common mistakes people make after a car accident. Unfortunately, working alone puts you at the mercy of insurance companies, which often leads to inadequate compensation.
Other common mistakes include:
- Admitting fault. Even if you suspect you played a role in your accident, you should not admit fault to police, EMTs, insurance companies, other drivers, or anyone else
- Failing to seek medical assistance. Less an issue for those who are seriously injured, failure to seek medical attention applies to those who are cleared from the scene by emergency personnel. Traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury do not always show immediate symptoms but can easily occur in car accidents. See your physician as soon as possible to ensure all injuries are diagnosed and treated
- Trusting the insurance company. Insurance companies have been enjoying record breaking profits over the past few years. These profits don’t come from paying settlements to victims of injury. Insurance companies have a vested interested in keeping your settlement as low as possible. Do not accept any offer until you have discussed it with a qualified and experienced personal injury lawyer
- Waiting too long. In Tennessee, you have two years from the date of an accident to seek compensation through legal action. There are some exceptions, but by and large you will not be able to seek compensation through negotiations or trial if you do not begin the process within two years of your accident
When you hire Herbert Thornbury for legal assistance, he will act as a wall between you and insurance providers who would seek to minimize your settlement. He will investigate your accident to identify all liable parties, comb over medical information to understand how your injury will continue to impact your life, and fight tooth and nail to help you secure every penny you are due.
If you live in Chattanooga or surrounding areas of Tennessee and are in need of a car accident lawyer, please call 423-752-0544 to schedule a free consultation with Herbert Thornbury, Attorney at Law.
