If you are involved in a car accident in Ohio, you may rush to say things you do not mean. Sometimes words are said due to confusion or out of shock. Some of those things may be okay and not lead to anything further. However, sometimes the words you say can lead to trouble down the road. It is very important to be careful about what you say and to whom you say it at the scene of an accident.
There are three specific things you want to avoid saying after being involved in a car accident. These may be things you say to other people involved, law enforcement or insurance representatives.
1. Do not say anything admitting guilt
According to Insure, even if the accident was your fault, you should never admit it at the scene of the accident. Let law enforcement do their job and figure out who is at fault. You may end up in a situation where you thought it was your fault the accident occurred, only to learn after an investigation that it was the other party’s fault. When you admit guilt, even by saying something as simple as “I’m sorry,” you give the other parties involved the chance to capitalize on that. If your admission is recorded or heard by witnesses, it could lead to trouble down the road with collecting damages and fighting any legal charges.
2. Do not say everything is okay
You may seem fine after an accident, but many times, the effects of an accident do not appear until later. It is a natural instinct to say “I’m fine,” but you should avoid doing this. You might say that nothing seems to be wrong or you feel okay right now. Saying you are fine and there are no problems can lead to a fight later if you do end up needing to make a claim for injuries. You should seek medical care and get a proper diagnosis before diagnosing yourself.
3. Never admit intent
Your insurance will not cover anything intentional. If you even hint that you may have intentional caused the accident, then you are looking at a battle to recoup any expenses on an insurance claim. You want to let the facts from the investigation and medical reports do the talking for you.
Saying the wrong things after an accident can lead to many headaches. You may end up causing yourself a lot of trouble trying to get insurance companies to pay if you do not watch what you say.
