After any type of car accident, whether it’s a fender bender or one that has caused serious injury, there are certain things that other people should not be saying to the victim. Understanding what you shouldn’t say can make all the difference in how someone reacts after an accident and may even prevent feelings of anger or depression later on down the line.
Things You Should Not Say After an Accident:
“Are you okay?”
If someone has been injured, they are most likely not going to feel well. Telling them that they look terrible or sick is only going to make matters worse. – It’s best just to avoid this question altogether. If you are concerned about the person’s well-being, ask them if they need help getting to the hospital or anything else that could be helpful. Or, you can recommend that they see a car accident doctor in Lauderhill.
“You should have been more careful”
Telling someone after an accident that it’s their fault and they shouldn’t have made a mistake will only cause resentment and anger, leading to lengthy arguments later on or even court battles where this blame game argument is brought up. This is one of the worst things you can say to someone after an accident, so just avoid this statement altogether. You must not underestimate your injuries from a car accident a. Remember that you can’t control the pain and injuries of the car accident all by yourself without taking the help of others.
“I’m sorry”
While it may seem like a good idea to express sympathy and condolences for the situation, sometimes being overly kind or trying too hard to help can cause more stress than comfort in a situation like this. It’s best to just avoid saying “I’m sorry” or any other statements that may come across as insincere, which could happen if the person says it in a way that makes them sound fake and forced.
“It wasn’t your fault”
While you might mean well by telling someone after an accident that it wasn’t their fault, this statement could be hurtful. If the victim believes that they were at least partially to blame for what happened, then saying something like this can just lead to more feelings of guilt and self-blame. So try not to tell them that it isn’t their fault or anything else along those lines when you’re talking about an accident.
“You need to get over it and move on”
When someone has been involved in a car accident, they may feel stressed because of what happened or even guilty about something that was not their fault. This statement is only going to make the person angry, upset, or resentful towards you because this comment can come across as insensitive and dismissive. Just avoid this statement altogether when it comes to talking about accidents with someone else, even if you mean well by saying it.
What You Can Say Instead:
“This is tough”
If someone has been in an accident, there are going to be some difficult times ahead of them that they will have to deal with. Saying something along the lines of “this is tough” or anything else that shows understanding can help ease some tension and make it easier to talk about what happened after an accident.
“How are you holding up?”
While this question may seem like a good way to show concern, sometimes asking someone how they’re doing immediately after an accident can be a bad idea because it could bring up memories of the accident. If you don’t know how someone is doing after an accident, try asking them if they need any help or whether there’s anything that they may need from you to make things better instead.
“I’m here for you”
After a car accident, many people feel alone and helpless. So offering support and letting them know that you’re there for them can help ease some of the stress they might be feeling after an accident.
Do not utter any word or a statement that can go against you in court when you are planning to get the claim amount from your car accident.