An Atlanta, Georgia auto wreck would put anyone on edge. There are many opportunities to make mistakes, and it’s so difficult to know what to do. Even if you’re an experienced driver who has maybe had a crash before, it’s easy to fall into any of these traps. Don’t get caught in these wreck mistakes.
So what should you do? We’ve outlined what these mistakes are and how you can avoid them. In some cases, you can even correct them, and it’s vital that you carefully navigate the treacherous legal waters of resolving car accidents. Hiring an Atlanta, Georgia auto wreck attorney can help you with this.
1. Not Filing a Police Report
Police reports are a huge deal in resolving a wreck. Police reports serve as a filing of the crash. These reports contain the where what, and how of the crash. It should contain exactly where the crash happened, the details such as where one vehicle was when it struck the other. It should also include information on the drivers and any participating witnesses.
The witnesses may provide additional insight into the crash because they got to see it happen from a different perspective. It’s very easy for drivers to assume that the other driver was in the wrong. But a witness may outline that one person’s turn signal wasn’t working or that someone clearly slammed on their brakes without reason.
2. Not Taking Photos
It’s so easy to snap the license plate and walk away. But many people don’t even think about taking photos as part of collecting evidence because they’re shaken up. No matter what, always take pictures at the scene. The only time that this might change is if you were physically unable to do so at the scene.
If your injuries were so serious that you couldn’t collect evidence, then the police certainly should have done it for you. Part of them collecting evidence is to support their findings on fault and filing charges if necessary. But that evidence should also be available to you for your claim.
3. Apologizing
We live in a time where saying sorry is outright admitting fault, even if you don’t mean it that way. When you apologize, you’re essentially saying that you caused the crash. However, that isn’t what most people mean at all. Instead, apologize in a way that is meaningful without actually apologizing. Ask if the other person is okay and if they need help.
Offering help and a little bit of care will go much farther than an empty apology. It’s an impulse that you’re going to have to fight.
4. Putting Off Treatment
Although it seems easy to plan on going to the doctor tomorrow, or the next day, it’s best to go today. Invisible injuries and delayed injuries are real, but you’ll always want to know if you have any injury that needs immediate attention.
The immediate injuries may require surgery, or they may be signs of an invisible injury. For example, a small cut on the head could prompt a doctor to look for a traumatic brain injury, and they may find brain trauma. But if you just went home believing it was a small scape, you wouldn’t know about the mTBI until much later.
5. Trusting Your Insurance Policy
Insurance companies are as close to a legal scam as you can get. You feed into this policy each month, and then you go through a crash, and are they there for you? No. They look for ways to cut short your compensation checks in an effort to keep money in their own pockets.
There are many ways that insurance policies try to trick their consumer, and it’s imperative that you get outside help.
6. Not Calling a Local Atlanta Auto Wreck Lawyer
When you simply trust your insurance provider, you open the door to being taken advantage of without even knowing it. But, with a local attorney, you can take a different route and grab hold of the resolution process. Instead of focusing on your insurance provider, put the focus on you. Call our local Atlanta, Georgia auto wreck law firm, where our team of hardworking car accident attorneys is ready to handle your claim. You can go through and develop a strong plan to have the best chance at a full compensation recovery.
The Weinstein Firm is right here nestled in the heart of Atlanta. We love our community and know that it’s very easy to make any of these mistakes after an Atlanta, Georgia auto wreck. Getting in touch with our offices can help you set a clear path for a successful resolution, call now.
