What not to do after a car accident

Whether minor or severe, car accidents happen every day. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association reports that there were over seven million police-reported car accidents in 2016 alone. Car accidents can make you disoriented as well as hinder your ability to think clearly and remember what to do after an accident occurs.

While most people know that after an accident they are supposed to exchange information with the other driver, there are a few things that many individuals should not do after a car accident which they may overlook.

Do not leave

If you are in a minor accident, you may find yourself tempted to leave scene. However, it is important to stay, even if no one appears hurt and there is no apparent damage to the vehicle. If you leave without getting the other drivers information and later find that there was damage to you or your vehicle, it can be difficult to prove that they were liable, or even to find them again.

Forget to contact legal aide

Most people do not consider contacting a lawyer immediately post-accident. Having a lawyer present when talking to the police as well as dealing with you, or the other driver’s, insurance can be beneficial to determining fault and liability.

Fail to go to the doctor

There are a multitude of injuries that can appear after an accident occurs. The most common of which include neck and spine injuries, such as whiplash. Injuries that go untreated after an accident can get worse, and you may not be able to receive proper compensation.

Car accidents are traumatic, but remembering the things you are not supposed to do after an accident, listed above, can help you make sense of your situation as well as benefit a possible case.