Several people in Washtenaw County are lucky to survive a serious traffic collision. The incident that took place on May 15 occurred on US-23 when a semitruck driver fell asleep at the wheel, colliding with the next lane of traffic and sending two people to the hospital.
Suffering an injury as a result of a car accident requires two immediate actions. You need to see a doctor for a medical exam right away and get in touch with your auto insurance provider to inform an agent of the collision. While you are on this phone call, you need to be mindful of what you say. The wrong thing could seriously upend your claim.
“I don’t have any injuries.”
Many people involved in auto accidents do not realize they have an injury until the next couple of days. In fact, some very serious injuries, such as a torn blood vessel in the brain leaking slowly and creating pressure inside the skull, may not cause symptoms until more than a week after the accident. Additionally, some issues, such as PTSD, may not manifest until much later.
You should see a doctor regardless of how you feel, and in the meantime, you do not want to insinuate to an adjuster you are unharmed. If the adjuster asks you how you feel, then you can respond with, “I do not know. I still have to see a doctor.”
“It was my fault.”
Even if you believe you are fully at fault, you should not say so. The other driver could hold some liability, and you may be able to recover more in damages. There is no need to assign blame when you are on the phone. You just need to give facts.
“I think”
No sentence you tell an insurance adjuster should begin with “I think.” You never want to speculate when it comes to your claim. If the adjuster asks you something you are unsure about, then you should say, “I do not know.” The insurance company can get all the facts when the police report comes in.