Car accidents happen every day. Although you would hope that you would never be in an accident, it is important to be prepared so that if you do, you protect yourself. Here are some things you should never do if you are in a car accident.
1. Leave The Scene
Even if the accident was a small fender bender, you should never leave the scene until both parties have resolved the conflict. What may seem like a small accident could have caused damage to the car, or even hurt the individual. If you flee the scene you might not only be responsible for the damages from the accident, but you could also be in trouble with the law.
After the accident you should exchange insurance information with the other party, as well as license plates numbers and names. This will insure that the individual has all the information that they need to file a claim. If you fail to do this you could be in major trouble.
2. Admit That You Caused The Accident
Another important thing is to never admit that you caused the accident. Even if you were at fault, it is best to just stick to exchanging insurance information and then let the police report, and the insurance company determine who is responsible for paying what.
If the other party does decide to file a lawsuit you could make the case harder on yourself by admitting that you caused the accident. Even saying something like "I didn't see you there" or "I was talking on the phone…" could be used against you.
3. Fail To Call The Police
Lastly, you should always include the police when you have an accident. When you call the police they will make an official police report. This police report will be helpful in the case that you are sued. When the police write up the report they will ask witnesses for statements, as well as assess the damage to both cars and drivers and all of the passengers. If you don't have a police report it will be harder to prove what happened. It will simply be your word against the other driver. This is why it is best to have an official document that states what happened. You can use this if there is a lawsuit.
If you avoid making these mistakes when you are in a car accident you can protect yourself legally.
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