How to Avoid Making Mistakes After a Douglasville, GA Auto Accident

Auto accidents are a very common cause of serious injuries in Douglasville, Georgia, and it’s important to know what to do and what not to do when the unfortunate circumstance of a motor vehicle collision happens to you. The moments, days, and weeks that follow an accident are a key time when mistakes can be made and steps can be missed, if you aren’t carefully paying attention to what you need to do and what you should never do after a Fulton County accident.

What You Should Do After a Douglasville Auto Accident

If you have been in an auto accident in Douglasville, GA, then there are a few things that you should do, no matter what the circumstances may be. To begin with, you need to contact the police right away. This is naturally so if there are serious injuries or property damage, but you might not be aware that this is something you should do even if there are no serious damages. You will want the benefit of a police report when you are gathering evidence to build your auto accident claim.

Once the police arrive, it is important to provide a statement that is accurate and concise, without assumptions, embellishment, or speculation. If you aren’t sure of something, you can say so. For example, you may not be sure if the other driver was speeding. Rather than saying that the driver was speeding or was not speeding, you can say that you are not sure of this fact. If you are able to listen to the statement of the other driver, then you may wish to ensure that he or she also does not make assumptions or say anything that is inaccurate. The more accurate the police report, the better off you’ll be when it comes time to gather evidence for your claim.

Another wise step to take after a Douglasville auto accident is to take pictures of the vehicles, the weather and road conditions, any relevant signs or posted speed limits, and the associated injuries and property damage. Photographic evidence can be a major help in your auto accident claim.  Beyond this, you should naturally exchange information with the other driver, including contact details and insurance information; though, you may not realize that you should also collect the contact information of any eye witnesses. Their testimony may end up being required to prove your side of the story.

Seeking medical attention is another important step after a Fulton County auto accident, even if you aren’t immediately aware of any injuries. Many people make the mistake of not seeking medical attention at first because they don’t realize that they are injured. Then, the shock wears off, they get some sleep, and they wake up in terrible pain. The sooner you identify and treat any injuries, the better off you will be in terms of your health and in terms of your auto accident claim.

Finally, anyone who has been injured in an auto accident in Douglasville, GA would be wise to contact a Fulton County auto accident attorney as soon as possible. The sooner you call us for a free consultation, the sooner we can evaluate your case and calculate the value of your claim. The sooner we can get started on gathering evidence and filing your auto accident claim, the stronger that claim will be and the better able we will be to protect and promote your rights as an injured auto accident victim.

What You Should NOT Do After a Douglasville Auto Accident

Just as important, if not more so, than the things that you should do after an auto accident in Douglasville, GA are the things that you should not do. You should never leave the scene of the accident before police arrive, even if there is minimal damage. This is illegal and could create real problems for you down the road. You should also never admit fault or apologize, as this could be held against you. You may even think that you are partially to blame, but an investigation could prove otherwise. It is best to simply avoid discussing fault at the scene of the accident.

You will likely be contacted by the at fault driver’s insurance company soon after the accident, but you should not provide them with a statement. They may be trying to trip you up or confuse you or get you to say something that can be taken a different way in order to minimize their liability or deny your claim. You can avoid making this mistake by declining to speak with the insurance company until you’ve spoken to your attorney, and then contacting an attorney right away.

This leads us to our final advice on what you should not do after an auto accident, which is to attempt to file your claim without the guidance of a lawyer. There are many mistakes to be made along the way when filing a Fulton County auto accident claim, and attempting to do so without a lawyer is among the first of them, likely leading to others down the road. Contact the dedicated car accident attorneys in Douglasville at John B. Jackson & Associates to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you.