As a Pearland Car Accident Lawyer I know how important it is to interact in the proper method with others at the the scene of a Pearland Car Accident.
Any car accident is a profoundly stressful experience for everyone. You and all the other parties involved with the accident will be feeling a flood of emotion – shock, anger, sorrow, guilt and probably pain. It is very important to remain calm. Not only will you have many emotions, you will experience wild emotional swings probably. Be very careful when you are this emotional. It is best not to speak with the other driver any longer after you just ask to see if they are ok. Only do this if you are able to do so of course. Make sure you are healthy before doing anything else. DO NOT get into a discussion about accident facts, who did what or what happened when. You will likely have the opportunity to speak with an investigating officer. Do not apologize even if you are not sure if you are at fault or not. Again, when you are emotional the facts may not be very clear. Try your best to remain calm and level headed. Take care of yourself and do not speak with the other driver. Remember, whatever you say will likely be twisted and turned against you by the insurance adjustor or the attorney for the driver that caused the Pearland Car Accident in the first place.
Another person you will interact with is the police officer. First and foremost, be polite and courteous. Remember, you will be under stress and this will likely be a new situation for you. After all, most of rarely deal with police officers and people in positions of authority like a law enforcement official. The police report is often the most important piece of evidence in a Pearland Car Accident case. So it is vital that it is accurate. Tell the police officer your version of the facts, what you believe the other driver did wrong and everything that you did to avoid the collision. Most importanty – please remember – you must be polite and courteous. If you are rude, the police officer may simply write a report that is skewed against you. After all, none of us like being treated in a rude manner. I am not saying that police officers decide their investigation on which party they like the best. I am just saying they are human as well and we all have a tendency to react more positively to people that are nice and polite to us.
The scene of a Pearland Car Accident is no place to act macho. Make sure you tell the police officer where you hurt and whether you need an ambulance. If an ambulance is dispatched to the scene, make sure you tell the emergency personnel about all of your injuries, problems and issues. If you do not, the other side will use this against you in your personal injury claim.
In a recent case, my client was yelled at by the other party and accussed of being the one that caused the wreck. He reacted like most of us would – he responded in kind by yelling and gettng upset as well. The police officer could not settle anyone down and even though the physical evidence clearly backs up the version given by my client, the police officer split the fault and factored both drivers as equally at fault. As a result, the case could not be settled pre-suit and a lawsuit had to be filed. It is important to remain calm and keep your wits about you even under the extreme stress you will feel after a Pearland Car Accident.
For more information, review the FAQ section of our site, the Library Article section of our site and of course download a copy of our informational books for FREE. If you would like to speak with a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Attorney call the Firm at 877-307-9500 and you will speak with either Chad Points or Tony Denena. We wish you all the best.