Mistakes to Avoid Following an Omaha Truck Accident
Unfortunately, truck collisions generally result in severe injuries and extensive property damage. The costs associated with these damages often place a heavy strain on an injured individual as they attempt to maintain financial security. To combat the overwhelming consequences of a truck collision, an injured individual should consider the potential mistakes to avoid following an Omaha truck accident. A skilled truck accident lawyer could review the factors that may have contributed to your case and assist in identifying a negligent party. Furthermore, our attorneys at Inkelaar Law could help an injured person pursue damages from a negligent party as this compensation could alleviate their financial burden.
Potential Impact of Admitting Fault
After a truck accident, an injured individual is highly encouraged to refrain from making statements that admit fault in any capacity. In many instances, the process for determining fault in an accident is based upon comparative fault. If a person admits fault, his or her percentage of liability may increase and the amount of compensation that he or she could be eligible to receive may decrease.
While a person may view making an apology to another driver as being polite, it is typically viewed as admitting fault. The insurance company and the opposing party may wonder why a person apologized when he or she claimed not to be at fault. Making this mistake could lead to a claim denial.
Refusing Medical Treatment
Holding a negligent party responsible for his or her recklessness following a truck accident may become significantly more complicated if an injured individual refuses immediate medical treatment. Insurance companies look at the type of treatment and the amount of treatment to make a decision on the values of cases. When one refuses to get medical treatment, insurance companies will likely lower the amount that it would offer. In short, it becomes more difficult to prove that a person has a higher degree of injuries that were due to the accident and not aggravated by an outside factor when he or she fails to seek medical attention immediately.
Someone may be hesitant to obtain medical treatment due to financial issues. It is common for people to try to avoid high medical costs by minimizing the true extent of the injury. This could exacerbate a person’s injury and may cause him or her to incur even higher medical bills than if he or she would have sought medical treatment immediately after the incident.
Importance of Following a Physician’s Orders
Another one of the common mistakes to avoid following an Omaha truck accident is the failure to follow a doctor’s orders. If an injured person does not follow the care directives given by a physician during treatment, he or she may minimize his or her ability to prove the nature and extent of his or her injuries in court.
Risks of Giving Recorded Statements to an Insurance Company
Submitting a recorded statement is often risky. If a person gives a recorded statement to the other insurance company, an insurance company could use the statement as either an admission of fault or as a way to try to demonstrate that the nature and extent of injuries are not as high as asserted in the injured person’s claim. To reduce this risk, it is important to speak with an attorney who understands the potential mistakes to avoid following an Omaha truck accident prior to giving a recorded statement.
Dangers of Accepting a Check From an Insurer Without Legal Counsel
Depending on the circumstances of an accident, an insurance company may immediately offer to pay a certain amount of pain and suffering damages or to take care of certain medical bills. A person should refrain from accepting such an offer, as acceptance of a check or cash could prevent a person from seeking damages in the future. In many cases, there is language on the check or paperwork that says upon acceptance of the check, an injured individual may never come back and ask for more money as a result of the accident. In essence, this could prohibit someone from going after an at-fault party if he or she signed a release by accepting the check.
Contact an Attorney to Discuss Mistakes to Avoid After an Omaha Truck Collision
If you were involved in a severe collision with a tractor-trailer, consider speaking to a proactive truck accident lawyer. They could help inform you about the mistakes to avoid following an Omaha truck accident. This information may substantially improve a person’s ability to recover damages in the future. Call now and set up a time to start reviewing your potential legal options.