Florida laws are designed to ensure that people injured in a motor vehicle or car accident receive compensation for their injuries through personal injury protection (PIP) insurance, another driver’s insurance, civil litigation, or a combination. However, securing full and fair compensation for auto accident injuries can be challenging, as insurance companies are highly skilled at limiting claims.
The personal injury lawyers at Tallahassee-based Akbar Thomas Law Firm are intimately familiar with the tactics insurance companies use to limit car accident injury claims. They also know that while specific actions taken by their clients can help support their claims, clients can also do things that can diminish or even negate them. Motor vehicle accidents are traumatic and confusing, and in the aftermath, victims may be prone to making errors in judgment that could prove detrimental to their case.
Contacting an experienced automobile accident personal injury lawyer, such as those at Akbar Thomas Law Firm should be one of the first actions you take after a car accident. But let’s turn our attention now to actions you should avoid taking if you are in an accident, and then we’ll close this blog posting with a few more proactive measures.
Do Not Apologize or Admit to Any Fault for the Accident
During the confusion that ensues after an auto accident, you may wonder whether you contributed to it in any way and may feel compassion for anyone else who may have been injured. Whatever the case, do not offer any apologies to anyone and do not express any responsibility for causing the accident. Insurance companies can use such statements against you when they try to limit or negate your claim.
Avoid Speaking About the Accident with Key People
Naturally, you should describe your rendition of the accident to the responding police and answer any of their questions but try to keep it limited to just the facts. It would be best if you did not do the same with other drivers, their insurance representatives, and your own insurance company. You can provide your insurance company with the basic facts when you first contact them but do not provide a written or recorded statement until you’ve consulted with your lawyer. Do not sign any paperwork from any insurance company or talk to the other party’s insurance company without a lawyer. You should also deny any requests for medical record access.
Do Not Avoid Medical Attention for Your Injuries
Some auto accident victims avoid medical care because they believe their injuries are minor or are concerned about the costs. Seemingly minor injuries may be quite severe and might only become apparent as such after a few days or a week. This alone supports the need for quick assessment from a physician, but also know that insurance companies may argue that any delays in seeking treatment prove that the injuries were not all that serious.
Additionally, Florida’s PIP coverage—which provides up to $10,000 of no-fault coverage for accident victim drivers—requires victims to seek medical treatment within 14 days of the accident to be eligible for PIP claims.
Avoid Social Media Posts That Can Compromise Your Claim
If you’ve been victimized in an auto accident, you might be tempted to vent about the accident or otherwise detail the incident in your social media feeds. Know that anything about the accident you post can become evidence that insurance companies may use to limit your potential claims. That is, if your social media rendition of the accident differs from the officially recorded events, that may serve as evidence to dispute your claim.
Likewise, if you are recovering from car accident injuries, you should not be posting details about your day-to-day life that might suggest that the accident has left you unaffected. And any selfies showing you engaging in physical activity might also indicate that your injuries might not be severe enough to warrant compensation.
Actions You Should Take After a Motor Vehicle Accident
Now that we’ve covered actions you should not take post-auto-accident, here are some things you should do:
- Make sure the police are present and write a report.
- Collect contact information from any witnesses and other accident victims and drivers.
- Take photographs of the accident scene, preferably from different angles.
- Try to write down all details about the accident as soon as you are capable (but only share this with your lawyer). Include such details as location, weather, road conditions, pre- and post-accident driver actions, and apparent physical injuries.
- Contact Akbar Thomas Law Firm for highly effective personal injury representation that secures fair and just compensation.
Consult with Akbar Thomas Law Firm on Your Personal Injury Claim
If you or someone you love sustain an injury in a motor vehicle accident, seek out the services of an experienced personal injury lawyer to ensure that you secure deserved compensation for your injuries as allowed by the law. The personal injury lawyers at Akbar Thomas Law firm provide compassionate legal representation for their Tallahassee-area clients. We have developed a solid reputation for obtaining maximum compensation for our clients through negotiations or, when needed, by bringing our case before the courts. To learn more, contact us today at 850-383-0000.
