If you drive, the chances are that you’ve been in an auto collision, someone you know has been in a car accident or you’ve witnessed a wreck on the road. Given how prevalent auto accidents are, it’s common for people to share their stories and, possibly, spread some misconceptions about what occurs following car accidents – particularly when it comes to financially recovering from these collisions.
To clear up some of these misconceptions, below, we’ll point out the facts behind some of the most pervasive car accident myths.
Don’t Believe These Myths about Auto Accidents
Myth 1 – It’s not important to see a doctor after a car accident if I don’t immediately feel hurt.
Knowing the facts behind these costly car accident myths
is important to protecting your rights after a wreck, a
St Louis car accident attorney explains.
Fact – Wrong! Immediately after a car accident, your adrenaline will likely be surging, and you may even be in shock. This can mean that you are not immediately aware of the injuries you may have sustained.
Additionally, it can take days or even weeks sometimes for some car accident injuries – like whiplash – to become apparent to you.
By seeking medical attention as soon as possible after a collision, you can get an official diagnosis, which will be documented in a medical report. This report can be crucial later to proving the nature and severity of your car accident injuries and, consequently, help in determining the amount of compensation to which you may be entitled after the accident.
Myth 2 – I can work with the other involved driver(s) to resolve my claim.
Fact – This is not necessarily true and can be a dangerous assumption to make after a wreck. No matter how friendly another driver may seem after a car accident, that person may change his tune once he sees a doctor, gets damage/repair estimates on his vehicle, etc.
So, to protect yourself and avoid complicating a future car accident claim, don’t assume you can handle the aftermath of a wreck with the other motorist. Instead:
- Simply collect the other motorists’ info.
- Don’t admit any fault for the collision.
- Retain an attorney to represent your interests moving forward.
Myth 3 – I can rely on my insurer to take care of my claim.
Fact – Wrong again! After an auto accident, your insurance company is not necessarily on your side, and relying on your insurer to pay you what you deserve for your claim can be dangerous. This is because insurers are in the business of making money, and this can come at the expense of policyholders whose valid claims get undervalued or even denied.
So, the takeaway here is that you should not count on your insurer to be looking out for your interests (or rights) after a car accident.
Myth 4 – I don’t need a lawyer to help me with a car accident claim.
Fact – This may be the most costly car accident myths to believe because it can result in accident victims losing out on the compensation they deserve. The bottom line is that, after auto wrecks, having an experienced lawyer on your side to protect your rights and interests can be crucial to:
- Determining and proving fault in the collision
- Ensuring that an insurance company doesn’t act in bad faith with your claim
- Obtaining the full amount of compensation you deserve for your accident-related injuries and losses.
Contact a St Louis Car Accident Attorney at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law Today
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a car accident or in any type of traffic collision, contact an experienced St Louis car accident attorney at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law. We have a long-standing commitment to serving our clients, and we are experienced at aggressively defending our clients’ rights in any legal setting.
To learn more about how we can help you, let’s meet for a free, no obligations initial consult. You can schedule this meeting by calling us at 573-333-3333 for our Missouri office or at 618-888-8888 for our Illinois office. You can also email us using the form at the right-hand side of the screen.
