Whenever you are hurt in a car accident, you may not be able to think clearly while your mind is trying to process everything that happened. However, because you will be expected to interact with the other driver, police officers, and the emergency response team, there are a few mistakes that you want to avoid making that could legally hurt you down the road.

Saying Anything That Implies Fault

Directly after the accident, you may have people coming up to you asking if you are okay or questioning you about the incident. From the other driver to police officers, you will need to interact with them.

However, as you are talking with them, make sure you do not say anything the implies fault. Even if the accident was not your fault, apologizing or saying something about being on your cell phone at the time of the accident could make you seem guilty, as well as possibly make you liable.

Declining Immediate Medical Treatment

Another mistake to avoid is declining immediate medical treatment. Even if you do not think that you are severely injured, you still want to be taken to the emergency room so that a doctor can check you out.

Not only does receiving emergency care help catch any hidden injuries that you may not realize you suffered, but it also starts a paper trail for them. If you wait until a few days have passed until you see a doctor, the other party's attorney or insurance company could claim that the injuries were caused after the accident.

Talking to the Insurance Company Without Representation

There is a strong possibility that either your or the other party's insurance company will contact you shortly after the accident. You may not even be out of the emergency room yet when you receive the call. 

If they do call you immediately after the accident, do not give them any more information besides details such as your address, policy number, and any other identifiers. Do not start talking about the accident, but instead tell them that you wish to speak to a lawyer before speaking with them.

Right after the accident, your memory of the incident may still be fuzzy. If you give a statement about the accident that you later remember was wrong, the insurance company may try to say you are purposely changing your story. It is better that you talk to an attorney first so they can guide you or talk to the representative for you.

Avoiding the above mistakes after being involved and hurt in a car accident could help your case in the future. For more information on how to proceed and to seek representation, schedule a consultation with a car accident lawyer from a firm like Palmetto Injury Lawyers so they can review your case and discuss your options.