When you are experiencing intense pain and the emotional distress associated with a car accident, your judgment can be understandably impaired. Motorists who drive while impaired by an intoxicating substance or while texting on a cell phone can be held financially responsible if they cause crashes that result in injury to vehicle occupants, bicyclists, or pedestrians. Since liability is not automatic even if the other driver is intoxicated, the actions an injury victim takes following a motor vehicle crash can have a profound impact on an individual’s financial recovery.
The Mississippi car accident lawyers at Barrett Law have made it their goal to tenaciously pursue the fullest financial recovery for victims of negligent drivers for decades. Because we see how avoiding certain mistakes is essential to maximizing recovery in a car accident claim, we invite you to review this two-part blog highlighting common mistakes that injury victims make after a collision.
Mistake No. 1 Failing to Exchange Insurance Information: Drivers who do not immediately notice injuries sometimes fail to exchange information with the other driver because neither vehicle is damaged in the crash. The decision to forgo obtaining driver’s license, insurance, and contact information from the other driver can have devastating consequences if you subsequently experience injury symptoms. The assumption that a lack of damage to the vehicles means you were not seriously injured is absolutely false. The bumpers of motor vehicles are designed to withstand the force of a collision, but the human body can be injured by far less energy.
Mistake No. 2 Permitting the Other Driver’s Insurance Adjuster to Visit You in Person: Even if the insurance adjuster for the at-fault driver seems amicable, a face-to-face meeting without legal representation is an extremely bad idea. The job of the insurance adjuster is to minimize the liability of his or her employer. The adjuster can use this meeting to observe your behavior for examples of conduct that might be considered inconsistent with your reported injuries. The adjuster also will note inconsistent statements or admissions that might be used by the insurer to justify denying your claim.
Mistake No. 3 Failing to Promptly Obtain Medical Attention: The emotional upheaval and shock associated with an auto accident can mask symptoms arising from car crash injuries. When injury victims procrastinate in obtaining medical care, a prognosis can worsen, or valuable medical evidence and records can be lost. The insurance company typically will point to the delay itself as evidence that a claimant did not suffer serious injury. A lapse in time between the accident and medical attention also can give rise to the argument that your injuries are attributable to a cause other than the crash.
If you have been injured in a motor vehicle collision or the surrounding areas, our Mississippi Car Accident Lawyers have successfully represented many car crash victims in obtaining compensation for their injuries. At Barrett Law, we are here to help. Contact our firm today at (601)790-1505 to schedule your free consultation, so we can answer any questions you may have regarding filing your claim.
