Motor vehicle collisions are usually quite expensive. Even if the crash only causes property damage, people can anticipate thousands of dollars in repair costs. Major wrecks can also cause injuries that put people in the hospital or worse.
People involved in car crashes often need financial compensation to repair or replace their vehicles, pay for medical care and offset any lost income. They can seek compensation by filing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. The driver who caused the crash is typically responsible for compensating the other people affected by the collision.
The actions that people take immediately after a crash can have a direct impact on their right to compensation. Avoiding the three mistakes below can help ensure that people can seek the financial support they deserve after a wreck.
1. Agreeing not to file a police report
The driver at fault for the crash may ask to bypass the official reporting process. They may offer to directly pay for the other party’s expenses. That offer may seem generous, but it puts the party not at fault in a dangerous position.
If the driver who caused the crash does not uphold their promise, the other party has limited options for holding that motorist accountable. State law requires that people officially report collisions that cause injuries or $1,000 or more in property damage. Failing to do so can make it harder to get compensation later.
2. Going without medical treatment
People sometimes inspect themselves for injuries and decide that they can manage everything at home on their own. What they fail to consider is that some medical conditions do not present symptoms immediately.
People can have broken bones or brain injuries that take time to produce obvious symptoms. What seems manageable initially can progress into a much more serious medical issue. Delays in diagnosis can lead to poor medical outcomes. Additionally, a gap between the crash and the injured person’s diagnosis can raise questions about whether the collision was truly the underlying cause of their medical issues.
3. Settling with insurance too quickly
It is easy for those in the early stages of recovery after a car crash to underestimate their losses. If the insurance company offers a settlement, they may happily accept those funds with the assumption that they are enough to cover all of the major crash costs.
Unfortunately, once an injured person accepts a car crash settlement, they no longer have the option of requesting additional compensation. Even if their overall expenses increase significantly, the insurance company has no obligation to cover those losses.
People handling the aftermath of a major car crash often need support from someone familiar with liability laws and insurance rules. Discussing a motor vehicle collision with a lawyer can help people avoid mistakes that could have negative financial consequences.