Five Myths About Car Accidents
Posted on: 5 June 2015
If you have been injured in a vehicle accident that was not your fault, you may feel that you have everything under control. After all, you had insurance and so did the other guy, so you will no doubt be taken care of in a fair manner. Unfortunately, while you sit back and try to get better from your injuries, important evidence is slipping away and time is passing. You may be making incorrect assumptions about personal injury situations, and what you don't know really can hurt you. Read here for five common myths about car accidents.
1. You and the other driver can work it out.
The other driver is a nice person, so we can most likely just work together to get this issue resolved. You could be making a huge mistake by becoming overly friendly with the other driver, and it may end up jeopardizing your entire claim. For example, you may feel so bad about the other driver's distress and expressions of guilt that you admit to being partially at fault in the accident.
2. The police report has already determined fault.
You have a police report in hand that has already determined who was at fault. The police report simply gives the responding officer's opinion on fault, and is not even admissible in court, if the case goes that far. The police do not decide who was to blame for the accident; instead fault is determined by a number of issues such as eye-witness statements, photographs, evidence and more.
3. It's too late to seek compensation.
You did not notice any injuries at the time of the accident, but now weeks later you are in pain, but you are under the impression that it's too late to file a claim. Many accident injuries are not apparent until later, so you should seek medical care and begin taking careful notes in a journal about everything you can remember about the accident, all injuries and medical care, and the ways the accident has affected your life. Each state does have a statute of limitations, but it's usually two years for personal injury.
4. You don't need a lawyer.
You feel that you can handle the claim yourself, and an attorney's help is not necessary. Any accident beyond a very minor fender-bender will benefit greatly from the help of a personal injury lawyer who can assist you with matters of fault, damages and settlement. Even if your case never goes to court, an attorney can be invaluable in negotiations to get a fair settlement for you.
5. Your insurance companies will take care of everything.
No matter how good a reputation the other driver's insurance company has, it is in their best interest to pay you as little as possible. You would be wise to protect your own rights to ensure fair compensation by contacting an attorney as soon as possible.
When you have been injured in a accident, your attention and efforts must be on healing and getting your life back to normal. Make sure that you have an experienced advocate on your side (like those at Hoffman, Hamer & Associates, PLLC) to help you get through this situation. You can emerge with adequate and fair compensation if you ignore the five myths above and seek representation for your injuries.
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