When you get in a car accident, and you were at fault, it can be a terrible feeling. You may find yourself replaying the incident over and over again in your mind, the decisions that led up to it, and what you could have done differently. But it will do you no good to beat yourself up over what happened. The best thing to do is to learn from the experience and take steps to handle what’s going to come next. Here are some things to do and also some to avoid if you find yourself in this difficult situation.
Get Legal Representation
By contacting an attorney’s office, you are protecting yourself from a possible lawsuit seeking damages that might come your way. If you were at fault, then it is within the rights of the other party to bring a civil suit against you. There is no way for you to prevent that. However, with proper legal representation by your side, you’re less likely to feel overwhelmed.
Do Not Contact the Other Party Directly
If you learn that the other party or parties are bringing suit against you, you might have the urge to contact them and try to talk them out of it or to explain the circumstances that led to the crash. It is best if you refrain from doing this, though. If you speak to the person directly, then they might be inclined to become even more angry or indignant than they already are. Your counsel and theirs should handle the negotiations as to what’s taking place from a legal standpoint.
Don’t Discuss the Incident with Anyone But Your Attorney
There is no need for you to talk to the other party’s attorney about what happened. You might end up losing your temper if they say something indelicate about your driving, and you are not legally required to speak to them. Much like talking to the others who were involved in the collision, no good can come from it. You got yourself legal representation to do exactly that: to represent you and speak on your behalf. It’s best that you stay out of it as much as possible and let them do all the negotiating.
Tell the Truth
Although what happened was doubtless upsetting, it will potentially get you in even more legal trouble if you try to downplay or omit certain details about what happened that cast you in a bad light. You don’t need to harp on the details of what you did wrong, but neither can you leave them out of any official reports. Tell your lawyer precisely what happened, leaving nothing out. Do the same on any police and insurance reports.
Keep Calm
Emotions can run high directly after the accident or during the legal negotiation process. You must keep your cool and try to keep things in perspective. What happened will have consequences, but it is not the end of the world. Make sure to use your support network during this challenging time. Your friends and family should be there for you.
A car accident where you are the one to blame is never going to be a positive experience, but you can at least be sure never to make the same mistake that led to it again. With an experienced lawyer by your side, you will get through this, and better days are surely ahead of you.
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