Common Mistakes After a Louisiana Car Accident

Common Mistakes After a Louisiana Car Accident

Being involved in a Louisiana car accident can often send you into a state of confusion and anxiety. Your mindset can be further complicated by the pain and discomfort of injuries sustained in your accident. As a result, your decision-making abilities can be compromised when it comes to settling an accident claim with an insurance company. That’s why it’s often in your best interest to seek the advice of a Louisiana personal injury attorney as soon as possible after a car accident. Listed below are the top 5 mistakes that people make after a car accident.

1. Failing to Obtain Proper Medical Care

If a car accident is serious, you may have no problem deciding to go to the emergency room afterward. But proper medical care doesn’t necessarily end when you go home. Depending on the nature of your injuries, you may have to undergo:

• Follow-ups with your primary care provider
• Chiropractic appointments
• Physical or recuperative therapy sessions

If you do not seek the appropriate medical care, the insurance company will assume you were not seriously injured and will not be inclined to provide you with the compensation that you need and deserve. If you are experiencing what you think is just soreness after a car accident, be aware that it could worsen into something more serious, especially without medical treatment. If you don’t seek treatment until days or weeks after the fact, the insurance company may argue that your medical care was unrelated to the accident or that your accident injuries were not as serious as you have claimed.

2. Failing to Assemble Evidence

Saying you were in a “bad car accident” isn’t enough to get you an insurance settlement. You will need evidence to prove your assertion that you are entitled to damages. Relevant evidence includes:

• photographs of your car and your injuries
• measurements at the accident scene
• witness statements
• official police report

3. Providing Too Much Information to the Insurance Company

During their investigatory process, insurance companies will ask you for a lot of information. You may also be asked to sign certain documents. The insurance company will tell you that this information must be provided in order to resolve your case. While it is important to always be honest with your insurance company, you should be guarded in your responses and with how much information you share. Insurance companies are looking for evidence that might be used against you in court. YourLouisiana personal injury lawyer can help you determine what information is critical to share, what to say, and what to sign when dealing with insurance companies.

4. Settling Insurance Claims Too Quickly

It’s understandable that you would want to put the traumatic experience of a Louisiana car accident behind you. But reaching a quick settlement with an insurance company may come back to haunt you if your injuries or property damage are more severe than you initially thought. Insurance companies will not give you another chance to reopen the claim, so you only have one chance to get the best possible settlement to cover your medical expenses.

5. Failing to Collect From All Responsible Parties

You may think that the only party responsible for paying you a settlement is the other driver’s insurance company, but there may be other sources of blame depending on the circumstances of your car accident. These may include:

• other drivers who may have been partially involved in the accident
• medical care providers who treated you
• the city, county, or whatever municipality oversees the roadways where your accident occurred

Contacting a Louisiana Personal Injury Attorney

After a serious car accident, while you are dealing with injuries, medical bills, car repairs, and insurance companies, it’s important to have someone working on your side. Speaking with an experienced Louisiana personal injury attorney after a serious car accident can help you understand your legal rights and options, and if necessary, help you file a personal injury lawsuit to help you recover compensation for your losses. The Louisiana personal injury lawyers at J. Price McNamara ERISA Insurance Claim Attorney can help you recover damages for medical bills, ongoing medical treatment, property damage, and other accident-related expenses. Contact us to schedule your FREE legal consultation today – (866) 248-0580.