- Often, it's better to just let the lawyers do the talking...
Filing a personal injury claim makes sense if you suffer injuries after an accident. Whether banged up in a car accident, hurt after a trip or fall, or injured in some other way, you may struggle if you have to take time off work and no longer have a reliable income.
You can also make a bad situation worse, however, if you make mistakes during the personal injury claim process. Hiring a lawyer is one way to increase the odds of success. The legal expert will explain the process, represent you in court and at the settlement table, and more.
But here’s the thing. Even the most experienced personal injury lawyer will have a hard time getting you the result you want if you make any of these five potentially case-ruining mistakes.
Mistake #1: Waiting Too Long to Seek Medical Care
One of the worst things you can do during a personal injury claim is to delay visiting a doctor. It might be easy to drag your feet or keep putting off a trip to your family doctor, but that’s one of the biggest mistakes you can make. If you neglect to see your doctor at all or wait too long after the accident to do so, the insurance company might argue the following:
- Your condition wasn’t serious enough to require treatment.
- Some external factors other than the accident caused the injuries.
- You aggravated your condition intentionally.
If your injuries require special treatment, it’s essential to prove that the accident led to your condition. Your lawyer can gather this evidence from your medical records. But, of course, your medical records need to accurately detail your various appointments and treatments.
Mistake #2: Failing to Document Evidence
Another typical mistake that can affect a personal injury claim is failing to collect relevant evidence. First of all, it’ll be useful to take photos of the accident scene. Moreover, you should find witnesses who can confirm what they saw and heard and collect their contact information.
It’s also essential to ask police officers to write an accident report. Finally, medical documents, including prescriptions and invoices, will play an important role in proving your case. You’ll want to get all this information and give it to your personal injury lawyer.
Not having enough evidence is a strategic blunder since it’ll mean your case hinges merely on your own statements. Consequently, insurance providers might try to minimize the amount of money that they offer — arguing that you can’t prove the extent of any supposed serious injury.
Mistake #3: Discussing Personal Injury Claims with Insurance Representatives
Sometimes, insurance companies hire specialists to speak with victims personally. As a rule, insurance agents behave in a friendly manner towards victims and try to persuade them to make decisions that aren’t necessarily in their best interests. They do it to obtain valuable information that could later be used against victims.
As such, you should be mindful of insurers that try to get you to admit partial responsibility for the accident. All of this information might be used against you later.
You should be careful when communicating with insurance representatives. It’s better to let your personal injury lawyer represent you when dealing with any insurer.
Mistake #4: Posting Information Online
Today, social media plays an important role in many people’s lives. If you can relate, one thing to remember is to be mindful about what you post during a personal injury case. What you post can, even if you’ve technically done nothing wrong, derail your case.
For instance, some photographs might show you involved in physical activities, suggesting that the injuries are not so serious. You need to steer clear of even the perception that you’re being untruthful or exaggerating.
Mistake #5: Not Following Medical Advice
Another factor that might negatively affect a personal injury claim is failing to follow medical recommendations. Indeed, when victims start feeling better, they don’t want to go to clinics. They may even balk at going if they’re feeling pain — simply because they don’t want to go.
The problem is that insurers might, if you fail to follow medical advice, argue the following:
- Your injuries weren’t as serious as claimed.
- You didn’t do enough to get better.
- Your condition worsened because of a lack of medical attention.
Therefore, to prove that your condition requires special treatment and to prove the damage sustained, you must continue visiting doctors and taking prescribed medications.
If you ever need to file a personal injury case, hiring a good lawyer is a wise decision. Getting feedback from the legal professional you retain can help you avoid making damaging mistakes. Any of these five errors can derail your claim and deny you the compensation you need.