Three Things To Remember After A Car Wreck

In the first week of April 2020, there were 12 car accidents in Kaufman County. While this number may seem high, it’s actually lower than normal. This is due in part to the response to COVID-19. When you are in an automobile accident, it is important that after you make sure you and those around you are safe, you do these three things:

It is crucial to take photographs of the entire scene as soon as possible after the accident. The photos collected will demonstrate how the crash occurred, and they will serve as evidence of your statement for your insurance company and attorney as they evaluate the damage and the compensation to follow. Make sure that you take a photo of:

1.) the vehicles and the damage to them, paying specific attention to the damaged areas on each vehicle,

2.) the license plate, driver’s license, and insurance of the other driver,

3.) the skid marks from the crash, any debris like glass or pieces of the vehicles, or anything else at the scene that can be used by your insurance company and/or attorney later.

All of this information will help protect you after the accident.

It is important to always get a police report at the time of the accident. While it may seem like overkill to get a police report for an accident where the other driver is clearly at fault, a police report protects you with your insurance company and will also protect you if you end up going to court for damages later.

1.) A police report will demonstrate that you followed the law during the accident. Under Texas law, you are required to immediately give notice to the local authorities after an accident that involves an injury or death. There is not a better way to do that than calling the police out.

2.) A police report will also help sure up your claims for damages for both your vehicle and yourself. It adds validity to your claim that the accident and damages occurred at the time and place you say they did.

3.) A police report will allow the insurance company and legal counsel the opportunity to see more details than you might have gathered or remembered from the accident. When an officer fills out their report, they will note details that you could have easily not noticed or known to look for at the time of the accident. Often times the police report will include a diagram of the accident, which lays out all the pieces from the scene and helps give a visual to validate your claims.

For the above reasons and others, we strongly recommend you get a police report at the time of the accident.

Do not post about your accident on Social Media. In today’s world, Social Media has provided us all a platform to get the attention of hundreds, even thousands of people instantly from our smartphones. While there are certainly positive scenarios for this, there are also less than favorable scenarios.
After an accident, chances are good your emotions are running high, and we aren’t using our best judgment for the decisions we make. Posting your accident on Social Media can give you an emotional release, and can also allow others to provide validation to you that it’s a tragic event and that you’re going to be okay. Most people will provide words of encouragement and show empathy, and some will tell you what they think you should do. While all of this is might seem good, it can be used against you later. Insurance companies and defense attorneys will find and screenshot your post and use it to paint you in a negative light.
Not only can they use your post from the accident against you, they can also use your other posts to discredit you. Let’s say you have an accident on Monday and you say you are hurt, but on Wednesday you are out with a group of friends having drinks and “living it up.” The insurance company and a defense attorney can use this to discredit your claims and lessen the compensation you are justly entitled to under the law.
Never post an apology, or admit fault, or release your emotions on social media regarding the accident. Never post the photos from the accident, or try to diminish its severity.

Once you post something on the internet, it is out there forever, even if you delete it. That’s why in today’s Social Media world, it’s important to use discretion when you make posts. Just because it may not get a lot of “likes” or comments, it doesn’t mean that people didn’t see it and someone didn’t save it.

If you or a loved one has been hurt in an automobile, motorcycle or trucking accident in the Forney, Texas area, you need to speak with the experienced personal injury lawyers at Guest and Gray Law Firm, P.C. Our experienced team of personal injury lawyers will begin immediately dealing with the at-fault insurers, medical providers and health insurance companies to get you the highest compensation for your injuries. The call is free, and we take all personal injury cases on contingency, which means that you pay nothing unless we win your case. So, don’t wait, call today and rest easy knowing that Guest and Gray is on your case.