When a South Carolina car accident occurs and someone who has been injured attempts to handle their claim on their own, without the help of an experienced South Carolina auto accident attorney, things can go wrong.
Because of a lack of experience and knowledge of the law, several mistakes commonly occur. These mistakes compromise the claim, the compensation amount, and the strength of your case. Read on to learn what the most common auto accident victim mistakes are in Greenville, SC car accident cases.
- Not Gathering Enough Information At Scene of Accident
Not gathering enough information at the scene of the accident is one of the most common auto accident victim mistake. This is because a car accident is a stressful experience, and it can be disorienting, confusing, and frightening. Naturally, people aren’t typically at their best when an auto accident has just occurred. Thus, you are more likely to miss information that you should be gathering, or record it inaccurately. It’s important to write down all of the names, contact numbers, and insurance details of everyone involved in the accident, the names and contact information of witnesses, and the details that you remember about the accident itself. Some of this information won’t be in the police report, and you don’t want to be missing these notes when you need them.
- Talking More Than Necessary
While you should never withhold information from the responding police officers, you should avoid volunteering information that might be damaging to your case in the future. You might make an innocent statement that ends up being used to imply that you were to blame for the accident. Even apologizing to anyone at the scene could be used against you, so beware of this. Avoid making any statements that might be used to suggest that you take responsibility for the accident, and don’t make the mistake of over sharing.
- Failing To Seek Medical Attention
It is essential to seek medical attention right away after a Greenville, SC car accident. If you do not, then this is a mistake that you will later regret, and it is common for auto accident victims to make this mistake. The reason that this is so common is because some injuries don’t become apparent right away, while others seem mild to begin with. Nobody wants to spend time in the hospital or doctor’s office, and it may seem like something you can avoid if possible.
Having said that, you should not avoid or delay seeking medical attention, because this will not only harm your body and your quality of life; but it will absolutely harm your case. It can later be argued that your injuries did not come from the accident, but from another source, or that you are lying about their severity. You may also end up suffering from long term problems due to injuries that weren’t treated right away, while the symptoms were still mild.
- Settling Your Claim Early
Nobody wants to deal with the stress of a car accident claim for longer than necessary. However, if you settle your claim early, you may leave thousands of dollars on the table. The insurance company operates with the goal of getting you to settle early for a lower amount. Yet, if your injuries are severe, it will take time to see how they’re going to affect you, long term. You don’t want to settle early only to find out that you need more surgeries, rehabilitation and time off of work that won’t be covered because you already settled.
- Facing Claims Adjusters Alone
When an insurance claims adjuster contacts you, you may be tempted to just resolve your claim and move on from the accident. You may think that you don’t need the help of an experienced attorney on your side. However, this is just what the insurance claims adjusters are hoping for. They are expecting that you won’t want to fight them or hire an attorney to ensure that you get fair compensation. This is one of the most common mistakes, and it is almost always a major regret of individuals who attempted to handle their auto accident claim alone. Without an attorney’s advice, you should not provide any kind of statement to a claims adjusters. Otherwise, you will be exposed and the insurance adjuster can take advantage of that. Talk to an attorney before talking to a claims adjuster.
- Waiting To Seek Advice From An Attorney
The longer you wait to seek the advice of a South Carolina auto accident attorney, the more risk you expose yourself to and the more mistakes you are likely to make. If you wait too long, then there may be little that an attorney can do to rectify the mistakes that you’ve already made. All of the mistakes listed here could be avoided with a bit of advice and representation from a Greenville, SC auto accident attorney like H. Chase Harbin.
If you want to protect your rights and make the most of your auto accident claim with the highest compensation for your injuries and losses, then call H. Chase Harbin today for a free consultation for your auto accident claim.
