The reality is, most people will have an experience with a car accident eventually at some point in life, either themselves or someone they know. For those who have already had the misfortune of being involved in an accident, they could tell enough horror stories to be a fair warning to all is to learn from other people’s mistakes.
Even the tiniest of fender benders can wreak havoc on the unsuspected. By learning about mistakes that others have made, it could help save you a lot of trouble in the future. Some of these errors happen immediately, right on the scene of the accident. One mistake that could cost you the most is to not speak with an auto accident attorney from the beginning. However, before you even make that call, make sure to avoid making the following mistakes as well.
Avoid Calling the Police – The police should be contacted with any accident, despite how much the other party might be trying to convince you otherwise. The damage might be very minor. There might not be any apparent injuries.
However, you have no way of knowing if the other party would call the police later, maybe even as you’re pulling away. Leaving the scene of an accident without notifying the police could get you in trouble or cost you in the inability bring suit against the other party if you find out later there was more damage to the car than you thought, or an injury decides to show up a couple of days later.
It’s best to call the police right away, before leaving the accident.
Not Informing the Insurance Company – All too often someone chooses to not call their insurance company, in fear that their premiums will go up, or their policy will be canceled. The parties involved agree to a settlement between them, hoping to avoid the battle with the insurance company. However, by not calling them, they could end up in a bigger fight.
You are being asked to trust someone you probably have never met before that crash, and most likely has only their best interest at hand. It’s possible you will never see the money that was promised, or maybe you find out the other driver did call and filed a complaint against you. You are risking your entire case, if you don’t make the proper calls after an accident, including the insurance company.
The odds would be better in your favor, if you make the proper calls to the appropriate people, including an experienced auto accident attorney, such as Walton Telken of St. Louis.
Refusing Medical Treatment After the Accident – So many times people will not seek out medical treatment after an accident, especially if they seem fine. However, there are so many times that symptoms show up days later, sometimes longer. Types of injuries that could worsen and show up later, include:
- Whiplash
- Internal bleeding
- Head injury
- Internal organ damage
These injuries might not seem severe, or show symptoms at all, in the beginning; but each one of them could be life-altering. Unfortunately, by not seeking medical attention right away, it could jeopardize any claim you could bring to cover medical bills.
Accepting a Settlement Too Quickly for a Car Accident in St. Louis
Most insurance companies will work hard at getting you to settle quickly, and for as little as possible. Under pressure, because people need the funds and their vehicle, they often settle without knowing the full potential of what they are entitled to receive.
Unfortunately, once you have signed the papers and agreed to the settlement, that’s it. Not only will you not be able to ask for more, but filing a lawsuit is in vein after agreeing to any other settlement.
Before agreeing to any settlement, even verbally, speak with an auto accident lawyer to get sound advice on what you should do next.
That brings up perhaps one of the biggest and most common mistakes that are made.
Not Reaching Out to an Auto Accident Attorney in St. Louis
Once you have been involved in a car accident in St. Louis, there are several legal issues that will need to be addressed, if you want to receive any fair compensation you are entitled to receiving. Just because you are entitled to it, doesn’t mean the insurance company and other parties won’t fight in preventing you from getting it.
Having an experienced car accident attorney on your side will help you navigate through the long and tedious process, as they know the tricks that are often played by those who are not willing to part with their funds. In addition to the attorney giving you advice, they will also work on the following for you:
Gather as much evidence as possible
Performing interviews with all involved parties
Filing the paperwork for any potential lawsuit
Will meet all legal deadlines
Seasoned auto accident attorneys will be able to do the above with ease, all while making sure nothing is missed or forgotten. Another perk to having a St. Louis lawyer involved in your case is it will let the other parties involved know you are serious about getting what is rightfully yours. The odds of receiving a fair settlement are drastically improved by having an attorney on your side.
So, if you or a loved one has been involved in an auto accident, and want to make sure you get what you are entitled to, call Walton Telken. They have an experienced team of skilled auto accident attorneys in St. Louis, who will make sure you are not taken advantage of during the process.
