Auto accidents are always very jarring and emotional experiences for most people. You may even come out of the accident unscathed, but you will most likely be unsure and flustered after the incident. When making an ICBC claim, its best you contact a qualified ICBC lawyer. Below are some mistakes you can avoid after a car accident.

1. Not getting the owner and driver’s names and contact information

It is your legal duty to ensure you get to identify the name of the person that you have collided with during the accident. It is also vital that can access the insurance coverage, and this can only be done by identifying the party who you are involved with during the accident.

2. Giving ICBC a signed statement

Under no circumstances should you write a signed statement to the ICBC. You need to issue a report to the ICBC to apply for the Part 7 No-Fault benefits. If there are any omitted, misstated, and or confusing reports in the signed statement, then you stand a chance of your claim being limited.

3. Not realizing who the adjuster is working for

The job of an ICBC adjuster is to close your case as cheaply and as quickly as legally possible. ICBC adjusters must serve you, ICBC, and also the defendant. These adjusters may look like people coming to your rescue, but in the end, you need to know that their goal is to try and ensure that you get as little as possible from them.

4. Waiting to seek medical attention

You need to ensure you seek medical attention immediately in case you get injured in a car accident. Failure to seek medical attention may also lead ICBC to believe that your injuries are not as serious, thus end up lowering your statement options.

5. Getting treated at a walk-in clinic or by multiple general practitioners

You need to know that walk-in clinics do not have the capacity or equipment to deal with chronic injuries, especially after a car accident. The doctors here do not know your medical background. It is best that you get in contact with your family doctor who knows you and your medical history well enough that you can easily relate.

6. Not telling your doctor all your problems

There are times where you may fail to report all your injuries with your doctor. In such instances, the ICBC assumes that the injuries do not exist. You need to explain everything to your doctor, from the smallest to the chronic injuries during the accident.

7. Not following the doctor’s advise

As law demands, you must ensure that you take all the reasonable steps you can take to try and overcome your injuries. One of your obligations is to follow the advice your doctor gives you strictly. You can bring up any issues that you may have the advice with your doctor and see if the two of you can come to some agreements.

8. Relying on therapists or chiropractors for medical help

Courts and ICBC give very little weight and thought to the opinions of chiropractors and physiotherapists especially when it comes to matters that deal with compensation for your injuries after an accident. ICBC will always hire the top-notch specialists whose goal is to prove that you were not injured in the accident, or that your injuries are not as serious as initially thought.

9. Relying only on the public medical system

Most of the time you will realize that the public medical system doesn’t have the necessary funding, or even education to properly deal with the injuries you have suffered during an accident. You need to get paid help that will properly treat and document your injuries.

10. Missing your limitation dates

There are different statutes and laws in different states that limit you to the time frame that you must file your claim; 30 days, two months, six months, depending on your claim. In such incidences, a lawyer can advise you on the best legal way forward.

11. Not consulting with a lawyer about your claim

Not all claims may need the assistance of a lawyer, but you cannot know which ones do and which ones don’t. For this reason, you need to have a lawyer around while filing your claim.