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by on May 8, 2019
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The different procedures of the law can be overwhelming and confusing to many people who have not had much experience with it. It is not every day that one needs to seek legal help or file auto accident claims, so mistakes are common when this is done for the first time or if you have not filed one for some time. There are many steps you can take to ensure that your legal claims are sound and error-free because the fact of the matter is that an error could compromise your case.

These mistakes are frequent and you should do your best to avoid these mistakes because, as stated above, they can jeopardize your claims or your case. Many lawyers have dedicated their expertise and experience in providing their clients and other inquisitive individuals the adequate information needed to prevent such mistakes. If you are inquiring on the proper means of filing auto accident claims, continue reading and we will touch upon the mistakes you should avoid.

1. Recorded Statements

Most of the points mentioned on this list will involve getting advice from a car accident lawyer before you take any legal action by yourself or with an insurance company, especially when it comes down to recorded statements. This is a statement that has been put on record to be used in a legal setting. Consult a lawyer before saying anything to the insurance company because they will use the statement you have now made and compare it with the one you made with the police at the crash site. If the insurance company finds any inconsistencies with your statement, you will be accused of lying and your claim will be denied.

2. Taking The Blame

In some instances, car accident victims take the blame for the accident even though it was not their fault. This happens more than you might think and it really compromises any claims you are making to your insurance company. In most instances, the at-fault party’s insurance must pay the damages for the other driver. If you admit the fault of the accident, even if it was not your fault, then your claim is futile and it will be denied by your insurance company.

3. Gathering Sufficient Evidence

It is not what you know, it is what you can prove. Insurance companies are on your side and will provide you with the necessary compensation you require, but they are also trying to save as much money as they can. Due to this, if you are filing auto accident claims, you, the person involved in the accident, should gather as much evidence as possible. If you are able to stand and walk, you should walk around and take as many photos of the damage as possible. This will be concrete evidence, confirming your statement and the damage done to your vehicle.

4. Hiring The Right Lawyer

Most professionals will tell you that the smartest thing to look at when hiring a lawyer is how much experience he or she has. If you need a lawyer to litigate your claim, you should have one that is familiar with the different aspects pertaining to your case as well as knowing how to maneuver through the different procedures. A good indicator of a lawyer’s experience is how much time they have been practicing; you should look at their testimonials from past clients that have dealt with similar cases to yours. Though they might be a little more pricey than others, hiring an experienced lawyer is the best means of winning your case.

5. Calling The Police

This seems a little obvious, but you should always call the police when a car accident occurs because they will put the accident down on record, collect evidence and statements which can be used with your claim. Calling the police can be very beneficial because if the other person, who may be at fault runs away from the crash site, the police can track the culprit down and put it in the crash report.

6. Going To The Doctor

You should go to the doctor as soon as possible after the car accident because you may not feel bad at the crash site, but just like car crashes, injuries are unpredictable. Go to the doctor and have them properly examine you for anything that can exacerbate in the future. This is of the utmost importance because your insurance companies will put you down as fine, or not needing more assistance or funding. So, if you do not go to the doctor and have them cleared, should unforeseen injuries arise later, you will be in big trouble.

7. When To Seek Legal Counsel

Another thing that lawyers will tell you is to seek their counsel whenever you can, as soon as you can because this gives your lawyers enough time to build an effective case for your claim. Time is of the essence and it should be used wisely; your lawyers need enough time to gather evidence, testimonies, and more to build a case that will get you what you need in a court of law.

Litigation has its process; it is never really simple, but it can be convoluted at times due to many factors, some of which are caused by you. There are many mistakes that you can make from when you got into the car accident until the development of further things that can be prevented. This is especially so with auto accident claims; if you have not really dealt with seeking more from insurance companies, then there may be some bumps along the road which you could trip on.

Expect the unexpected and be prepared for it because the insurance companies are trying to save as much money as they can; that does not mean that they are not there to assist you with anything that arises out of a car accident or an injury, but they have their own agenda. If you have gotten this far in the blog, you now know not to make the mistakes that have been mentioned above because they can really compromise a claim you are trying to make.

Posted in: Law & Legal, Law, Lawyers
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