While you might not like to think about it, most people are involved in at least one accident throughout their lifetime. When you’re involved in an accident, do you know what to do? It’s important to be aware of a few essential legal tips that you should be following when you’re involved in a highway accident.
Don’t Leave the Scene
First and arguably one of the most important legal pieces of advice to follow when involved in a highway accident is not to leave the scene. In most states, leaving the scene of an accident before the police arrive can result in criminal charges being filed against you alongside hefty fines. It doesn’t matter if you are involved in a slight fender bender or a rollover accident. You want to stay on the scene until the police arrive and tell you it’s okay to leave.
Check for Injuries
Any personal injury lawyer will tell you the injuries reported after leaving the scene of an accident are much harder to get compensated for than those notated at the scene. For this reason, it’s imperative that you check yourself for any injuries from the accident. Also, you’ll want to check on your passengers involved in the accident to see if they were injured. Anyone that was injured should be getting medical attention at the scene.
Never Admit Fault
Unfortunately, it’s typically human nature to want to apologize when something bad happens. When it comes to a highway accident, you never want to admit fault while at the scene. Even simply saying the words, “I’m sorry” when another driver was at fault can actually come back to hurt you from a legal standpoint if your case goes to court. It’s best to leave the determination of fault to the insurance companies and legal experts.
Always Call the Police
To receive compensation for most accidents, insurance companies will want to have access to a police report. In order to get this police report, you need to call the police to respond to the scene of your accident. It doesn’t matter whether the accident was slight or severe. You always want to be able to get an accident report to turn in to the insurance company. Never let the other driver talk you out of calling the police whenever you’re involved in an accident, as it’s your right to do so.
While you never want to think about being involved in a vehicle accident, it’s essential to be prepared. By following the tips that we went over above, you can help to increase your odds of legally receiving the compensation that you deserve from the accident.