If you are hurt or your car is damaged after a car accident, no matter how minor the injuries or destruction may be, you are entitled to file a personal injury claim against the negligent driver that hit you. Create a claim that ends up as a successful case in or out of court is difficult as it is. But if you say the wrong thing after your accident, you make your uphill legal battle even steeper.
Here’s three things you should never say to anyone after being in a car accident:
- “Sorry”: You are probably a kindhearted individual with compassion and reason, but all of your good manners need to be stashed away after a car accident for your own sake. The moment you say you are sorry or offer any sort of apology for what happened – even “I’m sorry this happened” is damaging – is the moment you negatively impact your own case because an insurer can see that as an admission of guilt and pin liability on you.
- “I’m okay”: You could very realistically, and luckily, feel fine after being in a devastating car accident. Air bags, seatbelts, chassis design, etc. are getting better each year – for the most part. But you should never say this to the other driver or anyone who isn’t your attorney. After all, you could have an underlying and serious injury that you aren’t immediately aware of right after a crash. Let your doctor be the one to decide if you’re okay or not.
- “I think…”: You are surely going to have a few opinions on what happened but it is best to keep them to yourself at this time. Saying you think this and you think that really doesn’t accomplish anything other than potentially opening a window for the opposing counsel to jump through and hit you with liability. Don’t lie or guess about any facts of your case but instead say “I don’t know at this point” or, better yet, “I need to talk to my attorney first.”
If you need help figuring out what to do after a car accident, Hutton & Hutton Law Firm, LLC and our Wichita personal injury attorneys are just a phone call away. Dial (316) 688-1166 to tell us what is going on during a free consultation. We can also help clients in Florida, Missouri, New York, and more – if you’re not in Kansas, let us know where you are and we might be able to help still!