Often times, car accidents occur so quickly and unexpectedly that you may be shaken up, or even in shock. This anxiety can lead you to say things that can seriously damage your ability to receive compensation for both property damage and personal injuries in. After the accident is over, you start wondering if you could have done something to prevent the car wreck. Human nature leads many people to think about anything they may have done to contribute to the accident, even if in reality the accident was not their fault. However, a word of warning: DON'T make those types of statements to the police or insurance adjusters. We are certainly not advocating that you lie. However, you don't necessarily have to volunteer information that may in fact be irrelevant to the case. If you volunteer this information to the Police, it will likely end up in the police report, and this information WILL be used against you to diminish or eliminate compensation in your case, even if the information is irrelevant to the actual cause of the accident. Likewise, an insurance claims specialist (sometimes referred to as an "adjuster") will use this information in an attempt to shift blame, even if only partially, to you, and thereby diminish the value of your claim, if not eliminate your recovery all together. If you have information that you believe did not cause the accident but could be wrongly used against you, then you should consult with an experienced car accident lawyer first. Here are four examples of facts that may or may not be relevant to your car accident case, and that you shouldn't volunteer to an officer or insurance adjuster: "I was on the phone." Cell phone use is currently one of the top driving distractions in Texas. If you mention that you were on the phone at the time of the accident to any insurance claim specialist, they will most likely assume that you were the cause of the car accident, and that as a result, you don't deserve any compensation for your injuries. Instead of giving a biased insurance agent information regarding potentially inaccurate and irrelevant information, let the police use the facts to determine the true cause of the car accident without volunteering details. "I am on medication." Perhaps you recently started a new prescription painkiller or anxiety medication. Maybe you took a dose of cough syrup or an allergy pill before getting behind the wheel. In any event, an insurance agent will almost certainly try to use that information against you, falsely accusing you of somehow contributing to the car accident because you were under the influence of a drug. Again, you shouldn't volunteer this information to police officers or insurance claim specialists. "I was exhausted." Fatigue is a common problem for drivers of all ages and backgrounds. And, while it's true that sleepy drivers do sometimes cause car accidents, just because you were tired doesn't automatically mean that you were the one who made a driving error that caused the automobile crash. Again, in almost every case an insurance agent will hear that and make assumptions without knowing the facts. "My car hasn't been working right." Whether you've been driving with a taillight out, your brakes are bad, or that funny noise just won't quit, vehicles require regular maintenance. In some cases, these issues may have contributed to the cause of a car accident. If so, the police will discover that in a standard vehicle safety check rather than guessing the same way an insurance claims specialist might. REMEMBER: The Insurance Industry is a billion dollar per year industry. They don't make billions of dollars by paying out every claim that comes across their desks. In fact, claims specialists are often incentivized, including receiving bonus and pay scale incentives, for denying or reducing the payout on claims. As such, a claims specialist will look for ANY and EVERY reason to either deny your claim, or diminish the value of your claim. This is why it is very important that you not volunteer potentially damaging information to the police, or the insurance claims specialists. Make no mistake about it, almost every insurance adjuster out there will jump on anything you say to try to prove that you were somehow responsible for, or contributed to the car accident. In this way, the insurance company can avoid paying you any compensation for your injuries. Don't give these people ammunition to use against you to kill your Texas car accident case. Instead, contact an attorney who specialized in car accidents - they can help you maintain your right to compensation following a car accident. A skilled car accident attorney can guide you on the handling of your claim, allowing you to recover the amount you deserve for your injuries. Stacey Barrus is the founder of the Barrus Law Group, a group of personal injury attorneys dedicated to protecting the rights of those injured in accidents due to the negligence of others. Stacey is an experienced San Antonio car accident lawyer who helps car accident victims protect and assert their rights after a car accident. If you've been injured in a Texas car wreck, you can speak with a Car Accident Attorney in San Antonio FREE of charge by calling (210) 593-8709, or visiting their website at http://www.thesanantoniopersonalinjurylawyers.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8220149
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