If you have been injured in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, then you have a legal right to pursue compensation for the harm you have suffered. Through bringing a personal injury claim, you can recover monetary compensation to cover accident-related expenses such as your resulting medical bills, lost wages, and other damages.
In order to help ensure you are most successful in bringing your claim, you must be careful to preserve it right from the beginning. This can mean many things, including seeking immediate and consistent medical care. It can also mean taking care to avoid saying things that may jeopardize your claim. This care should be exercised right from the start, after the accident has occurred.
Things Not to Say After a Car Accident
You may be surprised by the things you should not say after a car accident. After all, many of the phrases we will discuss seem completely innocent. That is the problem. People make what they perceive to be offhand remarks and they end up being detrimental to their personal injury claim in the end.
Saying “I’m Okay”
“I’m okay” or “I feel fine,” for instance, is something you may feel compelled to say to the other driver involved in the accident or law enforcement or emergency medical service when they arrive on the scene. You may feel inclined to post something like this on social media to help assuage any fears or anxiety felt by friends or family wondering about your condition after the accident.
Saying that you are okay or you are not hurt, however, can have serious implications for your personal injury claim. An insurance company can and likely will reference this statements should you later find yourself to have sustained injuries in the accident and bring a claim as a result. Such as statement could lead to an outright denial of your claim.
Saying “I’m Sorry”
Saying, “I’m sorry,” after an accident can also be problematic. Many times, we may say “I’m sorry” as some sort of automatic response to an otherwise uncomfortable situation. Saying “I’m sorry” after an accident, however, could be viewed as an admission of fault.
This and other phrases can act to your detriment and you may not even remember saying them. That is one reason why it may be best to limit your communications after an accident to law enforcement and emergency medical personnel.
Saying “I Think”
Also, after an accident, if you are about to say the phrase “I think,” stop yourself first. Speculation on all things accident related is a dangerous game to play. If you are not sure on something such as accident details or the extent of your injuries, it is usually best to say “I don’t know” as opposed to “I think.” There is nothing wrong with not knowing. Speculating, however, can lead to misunderstandings and outright conflicting facts and statements made down the road.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Today
For trusted personal injury counsel that will fight for your right to be fully and fairly compensated after a car accident, reach out to the dedicated team at BoyesLegal, APC. Contact us today.