Truck Accident Lawyer: Things to Avoid After a Crash

If you've been in a crash that led to injury and the possibility of contacting a truck accident lawyer to handle your quest for compensation, there are some things you would be better off avoiding after the incident. Hiring a good attorney could be your best chance at winning a judgment or settlement, but you can ruin your chances by making some very common mistakes. While not to be confused or taken as legal advice, here are some of the things you will want to avoid after a major crash.

Don't Discuss the Crash

If the police ask you questions about the incident, you should of course tell them everything you know, but the same cannot be said for any conversations you have with the other driver, the insurance company, or anyone else except for a truck accident lawyer. People have a tendency to admit fault even when they bear no responsibility for what happened. Once you do this, it could be a major blow to any case you might want to bring to court in the future. Be very careful about what you say and refer the opposing insurance company to your attorney.

Refrain From Apologizing

Most people don't take a simple "Sorry" as admitting fault in a crash, but it can play that way. You don't want to admit any fault, even if an objective eye would see your actions as partially responsible for what happened. Let a jury decide who bore the major brunt of the fault in the incident. If you start apologizing, it is going to come across as if you admit that the incident could have been prevented if you'd done something differently. As you can see, this relieves the other party of their own responsibility.

Don't Refuse Medical Attention

For one thing, it's often difficult to tell just how badly you were injured in a crash. A car meeting a semi in the road is often not a pretty sight for the car. You may feel lucky not to have sustained any major injuries. At the same time, the injuries could be worse than you know. Don't go home assuming everything is fine. At least get medical attention on the scene and allow the paramedics to give you a once-over. As far as an eventual court case in concerned, it will look suspect to a jury if you refused medical attention at the scene, only to claim injuries later on (even though this is often the way injuries reveal themselves). Even the best truck accident lawyer may have a difficult time overcoming this perception.