Whether you accidentally bump into someone while walking or step on someone's foot, it is a natural reaction to apologize afterward. Unfortunately, saying “sorry” to another driver after getting involved in a car accident   is never a good idea and can have severe consequences when it comes to your ability to recover compensation for damages through a personal injury claim.

Apologizing Can Be Viewed as an Admission of Fault

By saying “sorry” after a collision, you are unintentionally giving the insurance company permission to take your statement as an admission of fault—or at least contribution—to the accident. When you apologize, the other party's insurance provider may argue that such a statement protects their policyholder from any fault or liability.  In my opinion, you should NEVER speak with an insurance company representative, no matter how nice they may seem, without consulting an experienced Hartford car crash lawyer.

The following are several other statements that may potentially harm your claim:

• “I wasn't paying attention.”
• “I did not see you there.”
• “I was on my phone.”

Furthermore, if/when you are asked how you are feeling after the accident, saying “I'm fine” or “I'm okay” can be damaging as well. If you tell the other driver that you are feeling fine after the crash, but experience pain and injury later on, it can be difficult obtaining compensation for medical expenses since the insurance company may think your injuries were not as serious in the first place. The symptoms of car accident injuries may sometimes take hours or days to appear, so it is important to seek immediate medical treatment to determine the full extent of your injuries.It is far better to say "i'm not sure" or  "I'll get it checked out" than to tell the police officer responding to your accident that "you're fine".It is important to know your report of your injuries goes on every Connecticut accident report.

If you suffered an injury in a car accident in Connecticut that was caused by a negligent driver, contact us and request a free consultation with our Hartford personal injury attorneys today.