Many times, if you are involved in a car accident, it happens when you least expect it. You may just on your way to work on a typical Tuesday morning or you are on your way home after grocery shopping. You stop for a sudden red light, but the vehicle behind you doesn’t.

In the moments after the crash, you are scared, disoriented and evaluating your injuries. You may not know what to do next. You also may not realize how to avoid making mistakes that can make the aftermath of your accident even worse.

Here are five tips to keep in mind, so you don’t make a mistake and make your accident aftermath more difficult:

1. Never admit fault for the accident. First, Kentucky is a no-fault insurance state for car accidents. That means that your insurance policy’s personal injury protection will cover your injury costs, whether you were at fault or not. In Ohio, if you admit fault, your insurance company could be on the hook for paying for all injury costs – yours and the other people involved in the crash. The other driver may be partially at fault too and you don’t realize it. Also, if you admit fault, the other driver may decide to sue you for additional damages for their injuries.
2. Never leave the scene of the accident. Police try to track down hit-and-run drivers and police will charge you with a felony if someone is injured seriously or killed in the accident. You don’t want to gamble on facing additional penalties from a hit and run.
3. Never avoid reporting the accident to police. You want to have a police report about the accident, especially if you suffered an injury.
4. Never avoid seeking medical treatment or decide not to follow your doctor’s treatment plan for a car accident injury. If you want maximum compensation for your accident injuries, you need to show what they are and that you are trying to recover from them.
5. Never accept an insurance company settlement for your injuries without consulting a personal injury attorney. Most of the time, insurance companies try to offer injury victims low-ball settlements. You want to ensure you receive the compensation you need and deserve after suffering an auto accident injury.

After a vehicle accident, you always need to protect your best interests. By following these tips, you will avoid facing additional hurdles beyond recovering from any injuries you suffer and replacing your vehicle if needed.