Drivers in Texas should know what kinds of mistakes people tend to make after a motor vehicle accident so that they can avoid them. The immediate aftermath of a traffic accident can be stressful and chaotic, and it can be hard to know what the right things to do are. Not taking your injuries seriously, failing to gather as much information as possible on the scene and talking too much are at the core of the most common errors.
Dealing with injury
The most important thing to do after motor vehicle accidents is to get medical attention for anyone who needs it. You may brush off this attention for any number of reasons. You might genuinely not think that you are hurt, or you may be someone who tends to downplay injuries and deflect attention on you in general. However, it is important to get a medical check after an accident. Some symptoms may not appear until hours or even days later. Depending on the nature of the injury, this can be dangerous. Even if a delay in diagnosis is not hazardous to your health, it can make it harder to pursue legal action and link the injury with the accident.
Aftermath of the accident
On the scene of the accident itself, you should document as much as possible, including taking photos and noting contact information of any witnesses. You should not apologize or accept fault for the accident, and you may want to avoid giving any information beyond the basics to the insurance company.
It can be difficult to know how to react when an accident has occurred and, depending on the circumstances, all of the above precautions may not be possible, particularly if you need medical attention. However, making an effort to avoid at least some mistakes might make getting compensation less difficult.
