Understanding Personal Injury Law

Five Common Car Accident Myths To Avoid

21 July 2015

Kristina Walker

If you have been in a car accident and have been injured through no fault of your own, you may be confident that you have the situation under control. If the person who caused the accident is insured, you likely feel that your expenses and property damage will be taken care of, but you should be aware that your faulty assumptions about personal injury cases could cause you to lose out on valuable compensation. For the five common myths surrounding car accidents and how to avoid them, read on.

1.  You and the other driver exchanged contact and insurance information and he seems like a nice guy, so you are not worried about your interactions with him. The other driver may have even expressed his remorse at causing the accident. Don't make the mistake of becoming so friendly with the other driver that you admit to being partially at fault. What you say to the other driver can be used against you, so be cautious and be aware of saying too much.

2.  You have a police report, so the fault has already been determined. Insurance companies use several issues to determine fault, including evidence, photographs, video, witness statements and more. The police report is only one aspect of evidence determining fault, and if your case goes to court, the police report is not admissible as evidence.

3.  You believe that if you didn't seek medical attention at the time of the accident, it's now too late. Sometimes injuries from an accident don't show up until days or even weeks have passed. Seek medical care immediately and begin documenting your injuries by keeping a journal of everything you can recall about the accident and how it has affected your life.

4.  You don't need an attorney, you can just handle the claim yourself. If the accident is anything more than a minor fender-bender, you could be missing out on possible compensation without an attorney to make sure you get what you deserve. Personal injury attorneys can help you with everything from determinations of fault and damages to settlement negotiations.

5.  You can just let your insurance company and the other guy's insurance company work things out. While most insurance companies do want to move your claim through fairly quickly, keep in mind that they are a profit-making business and will seek to pay you as little as possible.

Don't let these five myths prevent you from receiving the compensation you deserve for your injuries. Allow a personal injury attorney such as Vaughan & Vaughan to take the burden of this claim from you so you can concentrate on recovering from your injuries.

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