4 Important Things to Avoid after a Car Accident
The thing we don’t want in our life while driving a car is an accident and so, we take utmost care to be safe drivers and avoid accidents. However, it’s quite surprising that every American undergoes at least one car accident in life. It seems that the only way to avoid accidents is to stay totally away from roads and cars, which is of course not possible.
Even more surprising is the fact that in spite of such a common occurrence, not many people know what to do after accidents. And therefore, even the smartest drivers make serious mistakes that lead them to legal actions or reduce their chances of getting insurance cover.
Here are a few things which you should always avoid after a car accident.
1. Never Leave the Site of Accident
Remember that in most cases, leaving the site of an accident, even if it is a minor one, is illegal. It can account for prosecution as a hit-and-run case. If injuries are involved, penalties for a hit-and-run are pretty higher. In some states, drivers should stop and offer help to the other driver, and if s/he fails to do so, it’s considered as a crime. So, the best thing you can do is to stay at the accident site till the law enforcement team arrives and offer aid of any kind you can.
2. Never Agree to Not Call Law Enforcement
Even though the accident seems minor, the driver should call law enforcement. They create a record of the accident and provide help if required. If it’s a serious accident, you should immediately call 911.
Sometimes, especially if it’s a minor accident, drivers decide to avoid calling the police. However, unfortunately, by doing this they let the insurance companies out of reimbursing for any damage occurred in the accident. Several times, insurance companies cannot begin the claims process because there is no accident report and so, there is no proof of how injuries or damage occurred.
3. Never Admit Fault
This may sound weird as you may naturally want to apologize to the other driver and admit your fault, but just don’t. Your admission of fault may become a reason for your insurance company not to pay you. Plus, if you have injuries, admission of fault may mean that the other driver is not legally liable to cover the injury-related expenses.
4. Never Call Your Insurance Company Immediately
This too may sound weird to you as you are normally advised to call your insurance company right after an accident; however, you should in fact hold off when it’s an accident. It’s the time when you are a little confused and even emotional and might say something which they can use as a reason not to pay your claim. Wait till you become calm and normal and then call them.
