Being suddenly injured in a car accident can be a very traumatizing incident. Depending on the extent of your injuries, the ramifications of the accident can last for years or more. You can even be permanently disabled from the crash and your life will forever be changed. This is why it is so important to file a Nevada car accident injury claim immediately after the crash.
It will always be in your best interest to hire an experienced Nevada personal injury lawyer to represent you on your injury claim. The reason that this is so important is because there are many ways that you can ruin your chances of being properly compensated for your injuries. In fact, the insurance agencies will go above and beyond to try to pay you as little as possible for your injuries and if you let them, they will even pay you nothing.
In today’s post, we are going to detail just how you can ruin your chances of getting compensation by either your own actions, or by the tricky tactics employed by the insurance agencies to get you to admit you were at fault for the crash. You can even damage your chances of getting compensation by not following the Nevada legal obligations that must be followed directly after the car accident.
Failing to Follow Nevada Car Crash Laws
If you are so seriously injured in an accident that you lose consciousness or cannot walk, then of course you won’t be expected to follow these laws. The law states that these obligations must be handled reasonably and to the best of your “ability.” Meaning that if you are physically unable to follow these obligations, then you are exempt from following them.
According to Nevada revised Statutes Chapter 484E, if you are involved, are witness an auto accident, if able, you must do the following:
- You Must Stop at The Scene. Nevada law states that if you are involved, or even witness a car crash, you must stop at the scene of the accident.
- Render Aid. If you are able, you must by law do whatever you can to render aid to anyone who has been injured. This means that, if you are certified, you must perform CPR if necessary. Most often this “aid” will be considered calling an ambulance to arrange transportation to a hospital.
- Exchange Information with Other Drivers. If you are involved in the car accident, you must exchange your information with the other drivers involved. This information includes your name, phone number and insurance information.
- Attempt to Move Vehicles Out of Traffic. If it is possible, and you can do so, you must by law attempt to get the vehicles safely out of the flow of traffic.
If it is determined that at the time of the crash you were physically and mentally able to perform these legal obligations and did not, not only will you endanger your chances of recovering damages, but you can also face criminal charges. Even if you are not charged criminally, the insurance agencies will be able to use the fact that you didn’t follow the law against you in your Nevada car accident injury claim.
Making Statements to the Insurance Agencies
One of the insurance agencies favorite tricks is to dispatch an insurance adjuster immediately after an accident in an attempt to get you to make a statement before you have a chance to hire an injury attorney. These adjusters are trained to try to make you think that they are on your side, and that the very purpose of making this statement is to help you get your money faster.
Normally this statement is a packet of forms that are filled with leading questions, some of which are just yes or no answers, that are worded in a way that will try to get you to admit you were at fault, or partially at fault for the crash. In Nevada, if you are found to be even slightly at fault for the accident, your compensation can be dramatically less.
That being said, if it comes to light that you made any kind of false statement to the police or the insurance agency, you can risk not getting any compensation for your injuries and damages at all.
Talking About Your Case or Posting Online
After your claim has been filed with the insurance agency, you can be assured that they will be watching you. They have investigators whose job it is to find evidence that you have falsified any kind of information on the claim or are not as injured as you claim to be. Often, even if you have been completely honest about your car accident claim, these investigators can find evidence that they can use against you in court if you are not careful.
This is why it is vital that you do not talk about your case with anyone. If you do, that person can mention something to another person and so on and so forth, until that information reaches the investigator. If you have ever played the game telephone while a child, you will understand how distorted information can get when it is passed down from word to mouth.
These investigators will also pay very close attention to your social media accounts. If you file a claim that you are injured, and then take to social media shortly after that you then had a great time roller skating with your family, that post can be submitted as evidence if your case goes to court.
Justice Law Center for Your Nevada Car Accident Injury Claim
If you have been injured in a car accident and someone else is to blame, it is most definitely possible to completely blow any chance of getting compensation. This is why it is so important that you immediately retain the services of an experienced personal injury lawyer.
Our team here at Justice Law Center are experts on the Nevada car accident laws and the personal injury claim process. We will ensure that your chances of getting the maximum amount of compensation for your injures will be the highest possible based on your situation. The last thing that you need after being injured is to wind up being responsible for all your medical and doctors’ bills, as well as the damage to your vehicle.
We offer free consultations and only take our lawyer fees out of the money we win for you, so call us today.
Josh Nay is a writer and paralegal with over 10 years of experience in personal injury cases, family law and criminal defense.
