It may be very difficult to maintain your composure after a car accident. You may be shocked and scared, or even feel some sense of guilt over what just happened. However, there are a number things that can harm your legal position that you may not consider. As such, this post will highlight some important things that you should NOT do after a car crash.
Flee the scene – Simply put, leaving the scene of an accident may lead to criminal charges. Also, it may put you at a significant disadvantage should a civil suit arise out of the accident. As such, staying at the scene until the police arrive (or at least quickly returning to the scene) may be better for you.
Provide false information – If you are afraid of providing your actual information out of fear that you will get into more trouble, guess what will happen once it is discovered that you provided false information about yourself?
Admit guilt – In the heat of the moment, it is natural to apologize for what just happened. However, this does not mean that you flatly admit that you were at fault. This must be proven in a court of law.
Threaten the other driver – After an accident, you may incensed with how the other driver could be so careless or inattentive. As angry as you may be, threatening to harm the other driver is not helpful. With every rule, however, there is an exception. Mothers with injured children may get a pass.
If you have additional questions about what NOT to do at the scene of an accident, an experienced personal injury attorney can help.
