8 Dec
5 Things NOT To Do After Getting Injured In A Florida Car Accident
Florida Law Group Car Accidents, General, Tips
After being injured in a Florida car accident, you likely have several priorities, such as recovering, getting your vehicle repaired or replaced if necessary, and working with the insurance company to file a claim for monetary damages. During the stretch between when the accident occurs and when your claim is resolved, it’s essential to not do certain things that might jeopardize the value of your claim. It can be hard to pick up the pieces after a car accident while still trying to live a normal life as much as possible; however, if you don’t prioritize avoiding certain missteps, you may end up with no compensation at all. To help you avoid these mistakes, The Florida Law Group has highlighted five things you should be sure NOT to do after suffering a car accident injury.
Don’t Apologize
For many drivers, their first reaction after a motor vehicle accident is to get out of the car to assess the damage, look at the other driver, and say, “I’m so sorry!” Of course, you are generally sorry that the accident happened. While apologizing might be the polite thing to do, it’s unfortunately not wise to do so as it technically admits liability. If you say you are sorry to other parties, it implies that you made a mistake and did something you shouldn’t have to cause the accident. There’s nothing wrong with ensuring the other parties involved are okay and being polite to them; however, don’t ever express an implicit apology for the accident, as it can come back to haunt you.
Don’t Discuss The Accident
Don’t discuss the accident at the scene, with witnesses, on Facebook or Twitter, or later on with your friends or coworkers. The only people you need to discuss the accident with are law enforcement officers, your attorney, and your medical providers. Anything you say (or post online!) can potentially be used against you later when your claim is being settled.
Don’t Talk To The Insurance Company Without A Lawyer
If the other party’s insurance company attempts to contact you before you hire a Florida car accident lawyer, don’t speak with them. If you have already hired a lawyer and they contact you, refer them to your attorney.
By speaking to them without your attorney present, you may say something that will be detrimental to your claim without meaning to. Insurance adjusters are notorious for twisting words and using what people say against them. For instance, you can answer the phone after being injured in a Florida car accident, and when they ask you how you are, you say, “fine.” What you meant was that you were relatively fine, or perhaps you didn’t even want to talk about it. What the insurance adjustor heard by you saying “fine” is that you are 100 percent recovered from your injuries and feeling great.
Even if the insurance adjuster asks you for a recorded statement, saying it’s required or necessary to process your claim, you should refuse until you speak with an attorney first. If they call you with what might seem like a very generous settlement offer, discuss it with your attorney first. Often, insurance companies will attempt to contact injured victims as soon as possible after the accident before they have a chance to hire a lawyer. By doing so, the company hopes to get them to settle for much less than their claim is worth. If you haven’t yet talked to a lawyer, you might think they are offering you a generous settlement when in reality, it’s not fair at all, and not reflective of what your injuries are actually worth.
Don’t Sign Anything
Other than signing an accident report with law enforcement after verifying the information is accurate, don’t sign anything in regard to the accident without running it by your attorney first. You need to understand what you are signing. For instance, the insurance company may ask you to sign paperwork that gives them permission to obtain your medical records going back several years. You might think these tasks are routine and normal; however, they may not have the right to these records, and them obtaining the records may harm or complicate your claim. You don’t want to sign away your rights unknowingly, so have a lawyer review anything you are asked to sign before doing so.
Don’t Try to Handle Your Claim Alone
The biggest mistake someone can make after getting injured in a Florida car accident is trying to handle their claim alone. It’s in your best interest to meet with a skilled Florida car accident attorney as soon as possible after being in an accident. They can help you understand your rights and options and keep you from doing other things that are not on this list but that can cause the insurance company to devalue or dismiss your claim. Not only can legal representation maximize the value of your claim, but it also allows you more space to recuperate and recover from your injuries since you don’t have to deal with all the details, phone calls, and emails on your own.
Your Florida car accident attorney can thoroughly investigate your accident to determine how it happened and who was at fault. In addition, they can identify all applicable insurance policies that you can seek compensation from and hold the liable parties accountable for their actions that caused your damages!
The Florida Law Group Is Here For You If You Were Injured In A Florida Car Accident!
The one thing you should do after your accident is to call The Florida Law Group! We offer free car case evaluations to victims and their families. Should you decide to hire us, we only work on contingency fees, meaning that you don’t pay us anything upfront. In fact, you won’t owe us anything unless we obtain money on your behalf through a settlement or court award! It’s only if we collect compensation for you that you pay us a pre-agreed-upon percentage of your claim’s total value.
The Florida Law Group has spent the last 40 years winning over $1 billion dollars in compensation for personal injury victims, including those involved in car accidents. We serve injured car accident victims in Miami, Lakeland, North Tampa, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Brandon, New Port Richey, Clearwater, Orlando, and beyond. Call today or reach out to us online to schedule a no-obligation consultation today.
After being injured in a Florida car accident, you likely have several priorities, such as recovering, getting your vehicle repaired or replaced if necessary, and working with the insurance company to file a claim for monetary damages. During the stretch between when the accident occurs and when your claim is resolved, it’s essential to not do certain things that might jeopardize the value of your claim. It can be hard to pick up the pieces after a car accident while still trying to live a normal life as much as possible; however, if you don’t prioritize avoiding certain missteps, you may end up with no compensation at all. To help you avoid these mistakes, The Florida Law Group has highlighted five things you should be sure NOT to do after suffering a car accident injury.
Don’t Apologize
For many drivers, their first reaction after a motor vehicle accident is to get out of the car to assess the damage, look at the other driver, and say, “I’m so sorry!” Of course, you are generally sorry that the accident happened. While apologizing might be the polite thing to do, it’s unfortunately not wise to do so as it technically admits liability. If you say you are sorry to other parties, it implies that you made a mistake and did something you shouldn’t have to cause the accident. There’s nothing wrong with ensuring the other parties involved are okay and being polite to them; however, don’t ever express an implicit apology for the accident, as it can come back to haunt you.
Don’t Discuss The Accident
Don’t discuss the accident at the scene, with witnesses, on Facebook or Twitter, or later on with your friends or coworkers. The only people you need to discuss the accident with are law enforcement officers, your attorney, and your medical providers. Anything you say (or post online!) can potentially be used against you later when your claim is being settled.
Don’t Talk To The Insurance Company Without A Lawyer
If the other party’s insurance company attempts to contact you before you hire a Florida car accident lawyer, don’t speak with them. If you have already hired a lawyer and they contact you, refer them to your attorney.
By speaking to them without your attorney present, you may say something that will be detrimental to your claim without meaning to. Insurance adjusters are notorious for twisting words and using what people say against them. For instance, you can answer the phone after being injured in a Florida car accident, and when they ask you how you are, you say, “fine.” What you meant was that you were relatively fine, or perhaps you didn’t even want to talk about it. What the insurance adjustor heard by you saying “fine” is that you are 100 percent recovered from your injuries and feeling great.
Even if the insurance adjuster asks you for a recorded statement, saying it’s required or necessary to process your claim, you should refuse until you speak with an attorney first. If they call you with what might seem like a very generous settlement offer, discuss it with your attorney first. Often, insurance companies will attempt to contact injured victims as soon as possible after the accident before they have a chance to hire a lawyer. By doing so, the company hopes to get them to settle for much less than their claim is worth. If you haven’t yet talked to a lawyer, you might think they are offering you a generous settlement when in reality, it’s not fair at all, and not reflective of what your injuries are actually worth.
Don’t Sign Anything
Other than signing an accident report with law enforcement after verifying the information is accurate, don’t sign anything in regard to the accident without running it by your attorney first. You need to understand what you are signing. For instance, the insurance company may ask you to sign paperwork that gives them permission to obtain your medical records going back several years. You might think these tasks are routine and normal; however, they may not have the right to these records, and them obtaining the records may harm or complicate your claim. You don’t want to sign away your rights unknowingly, so have a lawyer review anything you are asked to sign before doing so.
Don’t Try to Handle Your Claim Alone
The biggest mistake someone can make after getting injured in a Florida car accident is trying to handle their claim alone. It’s in your best interest to meet with a skilled Florida car accident attorney as soon as possible after being in an accident. They can help you understand your rights and options and keep you from doing other things that are not on this list but that can cause the insurance company to devalue or dismiss your claim. Not only can legal representation maximize the value of your claim, but it also allows you more space to recuperate and recover from your injuries since you don’t have to deal with all the details, phone calls, and emails on your own.
Your Florida car accident attorney can thoroughly investigate your accident to determine how it happened and who was at fault. In addition, they can identify all applicable insurance policies that you can seek compensation from and hold the liable parties accountable for their actions that caused your damages!
The Florida Law Group Is Here For You If You Were Injured In A Florida Car Accident!
The one thing you should do after your accident is to call The Florida Law Group! We offer free car case evaluations to victims and their families. Should you decide to hire us, we only work on contingency fees, meaning that you don’t pay us anything upfront. In fact, you won’t owe us anything unless we obtain money on your behalf through a settlement or court award! It’s only if we collect compensation for you that you pay us a pre-agreed-upon percentage of your claim’s total value.
The Florida Law Group has spent the last 40 years winning over $1 billion dollars in compensation for personal injury victims, including those involved in car accidents. We serve injured car accident victims in Miami, Lakeland, North Tampa, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Brandon, New Port Richey, Clearwater, Orlando, and beyond. Call today or reach out to us online to schedule a no-obligation consultation today.