When a motorist involves you in a car accident, you expect to receive fair insurance compensation, especially if you suffered injuries in the crash. You will need such restitution to pay for the medical care necessary to move forward with your life in the aftermath of your injuries.
Unfortunately, most accident victims have little experience dealing with insurance providers. If you are inexperienced in filing an insurance claim, you could unintentionally say or do something that affects your settlement.
Avoid these post-accident mistakes
Knowing what steps to take with your motor vehicle accident claim can protect your settlement. For example, you need to report the accident under the terms set forth by Texas law. You should also gather and preserve accident evidence (crash scene photos, videos, etc.).
At the same time, it is crucial to avoid making innocent errors that could negatively affect your claim. Examples of what not to do after your crash include:
- Don’t admit fault. Texas has a fault-based insurance system, so never apologize or imply you caused the crash because it could affect your settlement.
- Don’t speculate. Never speculate about the cause of the crash to the responding police officers, as you may inadvertently say something that affects your claim.
- Don’t give insurers statements. Avoid speaking with the insurance company until you have read your policy, and even then, be wary of providing a written or recorded statement.
- Don’t negotiate with the other motorist. If you deal with the other driver outside of the claims process, you could lose your chance to acquire a fair insurance settlement.
Becoming more familiar with filing a vehicle accident claim can improve your odds of acquiring fair compensation. Such knowledge can also help you spot a lowball settlement offer.