If you get into a car accident in Greenville, South Carolina, there are a few things you need to do. This doesn’t change just because your accident was minor. Even if you think you’re not injured, you need to follow these guidelines. If you don’t, it can jeopardize your car accident lawsuit.
Any Greenville car accident lawyer knows that you need to protect yourself after a car crash. They recommend that you do the following immediately after your South Carolina car accident:
- Call the police
- Go to the hospital
- Call an experienced car accident lawyer
You may think this is obvious. But you’d be surprised how many people don’t follow this advice. They think there’s no need to call the police because nobody was hurt. Or, they think their injuries are minor so they refuse medical treatment. Mistakes such as these can be the difference between winning your lawsuit and losing your lawsuit.
Here are some of the biggest mistakes you can make after your car accident.
You Don’t Call the Police
You have to call the police after your car accident. There’s no good reason to not do this. Maybe you’re in a rush. Or, the other driver begs you not to call the police. This is all the more reason why you should.
You have no idea what’s going on with the other driver. They could be asking you not to call the cops for any of the following reasons:
- They don’t have a valid driver’s license
- They have no insurance
- They have active warrants
- They’re under the influence of alcohol or drugs
You Refuse Medical Treatment
For some reason, people tend to refuse medical treatment following their car crash. It could be that they just don’t think they’re hurt. Or, they don’t want to spend all day in the emergency room. Others are afraid of the bill they’ll get it they do go to the hospital.
The problem is, if you don’t get seen by a doctor, you’ll have no idea if you’re injured or not. There are some injuries that don’t show up right away. For example, you could have a traumatic brain injury. Or, you could have suffered an injury to one of your vital organs. You’ll have no way of knowing.
The other problem is that, if you don’t go to the hospital, you won’t have proof that you were hurt, Your Greenville car accident lawyer is going to need to prove you were injured. The best way to do this is using your medical records. You won’t have any if you don’t go to the hospital.
You Tell the Officer That the Accident Was Your Fault
Nobody ever thinks they’re 100% at fault for a car accident. But most of think that there is something we could’ve done differently to avoid the crash. Keep this to yourself. There’s no reason to say something like this to the police officer.
You don’t want to say something like this to the other driver either. They’ll tell their attorney that you admitted the crash was your fault. This will be used by the insurance company when deciding whether to pay your claim.
Never Post About Your Car Accident on Social Media
People these days are glued to their phones. They check Facebook every few minutes for updates. If you post something about your accident on social media, people are going to see it. Even if you delete it, the defendant can take a screenshot of your post or comment.
Anything you say about your crash on social media can be used against you. Once you put it out there, you can’t take it back. Don’t make your lawyer’s job any harder than it already is.
You Wait a Few Weeks to File Your Insurance Claim
You have to file your insurance claim within a reasonable time. Most insurance companies consider a few days a reasonable amount of time. The longer it takes you to file your claim, the greater the odds that it’ll be denied.
If you don’t file your claim right away, it may not be paid. There are several reasons for this:
- You want to be the first one to submit your claim
- You want to show that you’re serious
- It gives the defendant less time to come up with their story
Contact a Greenville Auto Accident Attorney Right Away
After you’ve received medical treatment, you need to contact a car accident lawyer in Greenville, South Carolina. Your attorney at Brumback & Langley will review your case and let you know what it may be worth. Call today and schedule your initial consultation. It’s absolutely free and you pay nothing until you settle your case.
