Being in a car accident is a traumatic experience for everyone involved. It is terrifying. It causes shock, anxiety and a feeling of helplessness, hopefully dissipating when the police arrive. At that moment, it is normal not to be thinking normally because a car accident can easily alter your thinking.
Feeling anxious is normal
However, trying to keep calm and focusing on your physical safety after a car accident can shift your mind to the present moment, which can help ease your feelings of anxiety and worry. As you are focusing on that and becoming calmer, consider avoiding the following mistakes that people make after a car accident:
- Keep the conversation general with the other driver. If you must speak, make it about how they are doing physically. If it is a truly life-threatening situation, you could offer to help.
- Stay exactly where you are, and do not leave the scene of the accident. It is illegal to leave the location of the accident in Michigan until the authorities tell you that you can.
- Do not talk about who was at fault or what happened, and do not apologize. While it is understandable that you may want to and that apologizing may be an instinct, remember that you do not know the other person. They could be ill-intentioned. Let the lawyers do the talking.
- Do not talk about any injuries that you or your passengers have. You are not a medical professional and cannot diagnose yourself. You could say you are to the other driver, who will tell his insurance company you told them you were okay. Meanwhile, you or one of your passengers may have suffered severe injuries you do not know about yet.
- Do not sign anything ever. Insurance companies will try to get you to sign forms and liability release documents but these work against you. Ensure you have an experienced legal professional who knows what they are doing.
Experiencing a car accident is a something that no one wants to think about. However, given how prevalent they are, it is critical to know what mistakes to avoid so that, on the legal end, your interests are protected.
