If you have been unfortunate enough to be involved in a car accident, it can be easy to get caught up in the moment and be confused as to what you should do. If you have just been in an accident, make sure you avoid the following mistakes that could hurt you in the future when the time comes to seek compensation for injuries and property damage.

Stating Anything other than the Facts

Right after the accident, your mind will be filled with so many thoughts and questions. You will probably feel strong emotions as well and want to start talking about the accident and whether or not you feel the other person was at fault.

However, try to keep your opinions to yourself. If you start making accusations, or if you apologize to the other person even if it was not your fault, these statements could be used against you when it comes time to file a claim.

If you make accusations and become aggressive, your behavior will be reported. Also, if you apologize in any way, this could be misconstrued as an admission of guilt.

For now, keep how you are feeling to yourself, and state only facts when you are speaking with anyone else involved and the police officers who respond to the scene. Save your opinions for when you talk to an attorney who can help guide you on what should be said.

Declining Immediate Medical Care

If you were injured in the accident, you may feel as though the injuries are minor and decide to refuse a trip to the emergency room. However, making this mistake could hurt you in the future in a couple of ways.

First, you may be more hurt that you even realize. When you are in an accident, your adrenaline starts pumping and endorphins kick in, masking the pain so that you can react to the situation. However, a few days or hours after the accident, you may find that you were injured worse than you initially thought.

Second, if you do wait and seek medical care later in the day or the next day, the other party's insurance company and lawyer could always try to claim that your injuries were not the result of the accident but were sustained afterward. Being checked out immediately after the accident can ensure you receive the proper medical attention while protecting yourself from this claim.

Avoiding the above mistakes can help you keep from jeopardizing your chances of winning any claims you have because of the accident. As soon as possible, schedule a consultation with a vehicular accident attorney to discuss the accident and gain insight as to how to proceed.