After getting into an Arizona car accident, you can be flustered and not remember how to handle this type of situation. Car accident victims can be injured, experience severe property damage to their vehicle, and might be only thinking about how they can pay for these damages. Esquire Law has outlined the biggest mistakes that auto accident victims can make after being involved in a crash.
Not Reporting an Arizona Accident to the Police
Not calling the police to report your vehicle accident is one of the biggest mistakes you can make as an injured victim. Police reports contain essential information that will help you collect compensation from the at-fault driver. Our car accident lawyers use police reports to see what driver the police deemed at fault and collect the contact information of the other drivers.
According to Arizona car accident laws, pure comparative negligence is used to determine compensation for crash victims. Pure comparative negligence means that car accident victims can still seek compensation for their damages even if they are found to be partially at fault. As long as the fault percentage is below 50% for victims, they can collect payment from the at-fault driver. However, the settlement will be adjusted to their percentage of fault.
Failing to Take Photos or Videos for Evidence
Photo and video evidence is a huge piece for collecting a proper settlement. Car crash victims should take photos of the accident scene, vehicle damage, and injuries. Our auto accident attorneys will use all of this evidence to build your case. It will help show the extent of damages that took place that needs to be compensated for.
Not Seeking Medical Treatment
Even if you believe you didn’t sustain any injuries from the crash, it is still important to seek medical care. Many vehicle-related injuries take a couple of days to feel the symptoms and if left untreated, they will only get worse. If you are seeking compensation for your injuries, having medical records to show proof of injuries is crucial for your claim.
Only Speaking to the Insurance Company
If you only speak with your insurance company or the other driver’s insurance company, chances are you are settling for a lot less. Insurance companies want to offer your quick settlements at the lowest possible rate. They never really have your best interests in mind when cutting those checks.
Not Speaking with an Arizona Car Accident Attorney
Having a free consultation with one of our Esquire Law car accident attorneys is always the best move after an accident. They can provide you with legal advice on how to handle speaking with insurance companies. Sometimes you can feel compelled to give way too many details about the accident to the insurance company and this can actually hurt your claim.
Giving too much information to insurance adjusters may accidentally lead to admitting fault to some degree. This can lower the amount of compensation they offer even more. At Esquire Law, we pride ourselves on having an attorney-client relationship built on trust. We will handle all the difficult conversations and make sure you receive enough compensation for all your damages.
However, many Arizona car accident victims make the mistake of waiting too long to file a claim with a personal injury attorney. In Arizona, there is a strict statute of limitations of two years from the accident date for all personal injury accidents. It is crucial for you to reach out to an Esquire Law attorney as soon as possible!