Insurance Mistakes in Long Island Car Accidents 

Following a car accident, there can be many things to keep in mind and many easy mistakes to avoid, such as several interactions with insurance companies. Typically, an insurance company will try and get to an injured person before they have the chance to determine available options, like hiring a lawyer. If the insurance company has the ability, they are going to make the person an offer and maybe it is an offer that the person might consider before hiring a skilled attorney.

They may offer them $1,500 or $2,500 and a person may think their injury is not that significant, but if they take that offer, the person cannot go back. This can be a common insurance mistake in Long Island car accidents.

Speaking to the Other Driver’s Car Insurance Company

Many people can feel emotional after an accident, and therefore feel more inclined to want to quickly report on their version of events without fully processing or thinking it through.

A person can think that they can do no wrong, but the reality is that saying the wrong thing can lead to a huge insurance mistake in Long Island car accidents.

Some people might think that they can avoid hiring a lawyer and try to negotiate for themselves. They will give a statement to the insurance company and when the insurance company offers them $100, that is when they will look for a lawyer. Unfortunately, it may be too late at that point because they may have given a detrimental statement to the insurance company.

Common Mistakes with Offering Checks

The other driver’s insurance company might offer an injured person a certain amount of money and they will not have to pay any lawyer fees, getting the money right away. To some injured parties, that might be desirable enough for them to sign off on that.

Generally, insurance companies do this when they see somebody with a smaller injury or something that appears to be smaller at the outset. They will typically not offer this with someone who is in a coma or somebody who has several broken bones. It is a mistake in a Toledo car accident, however, to cash a check from an insurance company without first consulting with an attorney because that will end the possibility of ever starting a lawsuit.

Other Mistakes in Long Island Car Accidents

Other mistakes people tend to make after being involved in a car accident is giving statements. Statements can work against a person depending on what they say, so it is best to not say anything unless an attorney advises a person to do so.

Taking photographs is also a big mistake that often happens now because how accessible phone cameras are. It is important not to take pictures immediately at the scene of the accident because it could hurt an individual’s case. The photos can show where the cars were positioned at the scene of the accident, which can limit the amount of comparative negligence that the individual might have.

Contacting an Attorney

A person’s memory is always best immediately after the accident. It is a good idea to speak to an attorney immediately after the accident or to speak to different attorneys and get their opinions immediately after the accident. It does not mean that the person has to sign papers as soon as possible because that is not often necessary.

The person does not have to sign papers within 24 hours. Lawyers should never pressure accident parties to sign right away, but it is always important to speak to attorneys immediately after the accident, so they will understand their rights. Not contacting an attorney can be one of the biggest mistakes that a person can make in a Toledo car accident case because a person can miss what they were potentially owed. This does not have to happen. Avoid such errors by contacting a lawyer as soon as possible.