Biggest Mistakes to Avoid after a Truck Accident in Lakewood
Since truck accidents are known to exhibit extensive property damage and injuries, these types of cases tend to be worth a substantial amount in the eyes of insurance companies. As a result, they will try to take advantage of any opportunity to cast doubt onto a victim’s injury case.
To learn more about the biggest mistakes to avoid after a truck accident in Lakewood, be sure to schedule a consultation today.
Why is it a Mistake to Admit Fault Following an Accident?
It is rarely a good idea to admit fault for an accident, even if the driver believes that they might be at fault. The reason for this is that the driver may not know all of the facts involved in an accident at the time of the accident or immediately thereafter.
The other problem with admitting fault is that that information can be recorded by law enforcement officers and by the insurance company who represents the other party. If the insurance company discovers that the other party admitted fault following an accident, they would use that information to downplay any liability on their end.
Refusing Medical Treatment
When involved in a truck accident, victims should make sure that they meet with a medical professional and allow them to check the extent of their injuries. Doing so is not only beneficial for the physical well being of the victim, but for the validity of an injury claim as well. For example, if a victim was injured, but they refused to seek medical treatment, the other party could say that because the victim did not receive treatment, they were not injured to the point of needing medical attention.
In addition, some injuries take hours and even days to appear. Victims with concussions or internal bleeding are known to feel fine right after an accident, only to suffer pain hours after an accident. To avoid any health complications from delayed treatment, it is best to get checked out by a doctor shortly after an accident.
Failure to Follow Up with Doctor’s Orders
It is not enough to simple obtain medical attention following an accidents. Victims are also responsible for making sure they follow through with any treatment plans required by their treating physician. Although seeking medical attention is indicative of some form of injury, failure to follow up with treatment could negatively impact the validity of a victim’s injury claim.
Providing Recorded Statements to an Insurance Company
Experienced insurance defense attorneys are skilled at getting accident victims to make inconsistent statements, unbelievable statements, bad time estimates, and commitments to memories that maybe vague or unclear. As a consequence, insurance companies can completely devastate an inexperienced accident victim’s claim in a matter of moments during the time such recorded statement.
It is far better to immediately obtain an experienced attorney, establish a better balance of experience in such matters, so that the accident victim does not make statements that they are unsure of, inconsistent statements or unbelievable statements, and to otherwise protect the accident victim from rendering irreparable harm to their own case.
Why Should Someone Speak with an Attorney Early On?
One of the biggest mistakes to avoid after a truck accident in Lakewood is not meeting with an attorney promptly after an accident and after receiving medical treatment. A lawyer could help protect you from the tactics used by insurance companies to discredit a claim. As a result, getting in touch with an attorney sooner rather than later could help protect the strength of a case. To learn more, or if you believe you have a truck accident claim ready to bring forward, call today.