Personal injury claims are one of those things that we hope we never have to experience. The thought of getting seriously injured to the point of needing a lawsuit is often scary. Our lives are completely flipped upside down and even our financial security comes into question.
Because people don’t find themselves in this type of situation often, they often make mistakes that not only can hurt their chances of winning their claim but can dismiss it altogether. Therefore, it is important that you read up beforehand and do your research so you know what you are getting into and how to make the most out of the situation. Here are some of the most common personal injury claim mistakes that you need to avoid.
Not Hiring an Lawyer
The biggest mistake people make when it comes to personal injury claims is not going to an expert to get the support that they need to win a case. In some situations, people think that they do not need legal help and therefore will try to go about winning a case on their own. This can have disastrous consequences, especially if your financial security is dependent on this claim. The lawyers over at Pittman, Roberts & Welsh, PLLC mention that hiring a lawyer to represent you greatly bolsters your chance at winning your claim. Not only that, but lawyers are able to find out more about your claim and even get you more money.
Another benefit of getting a lawyer is that it gives you time to relax, recover, and not worry about stress. There are plenty of things that are going to be going on in your life and the last thing you want to be worrying about is building a court case. Having a lawyer means all of that will be handled for you.
Lawyers might be expensive, but in most cases you won’t even have to pay them either unless they win your claim. Therefore, there is no real downside to hiring one. It is much better to pay someone a percentage of your winnings than to risk it all by representing yourself. If you find yourself making a personal injury claim, please do not represent yourself.
Not Getting Medical Care Immediately
Another mistake people make when it comes to personal injury claims is that they do not seek medical attention immediately. This can have several negative effects. First, if you don’t seek medical help right away, your injuries might get worse, therefore creating more strain on your body. The second and most important reason why you need to get medical care right away is that it will help your claim.
If you take days or weeks to go see a doctor about your injuries, the defense will argue that your injuries are so insignificant and not debilitating in any way. This will put a damper on your claim and will greatly hurt your chances of winning. Instead, as soon as you are allowed to leave the scene of the accident, go to a doctor right away. They will be able to verify your injuries and will start you on a plan to recover right away. Not only that, but they will provide your lawyer with useful paperwork that they will use to help you win your battle. Don’t try to recover on your own, especially if you are planning on making a personal injury claim.
Refusing Medical Transportation
No one wants to get hit with an ambulance bill, but at times of serious injury, you should definitely hop in the back of the vehicle and allow them to transport you to the hospital. Just like the above statement, if you refuse this transportation, the defense can say that the injuries you sustained were minor and that you were able to continue on with your normal life. Don’t put yourself in a position where the defense can use this against you.
Not Documenting the Scene
Whether you are involved in an accident at work or an accident on the road, you have to ensure that you are collecting as much information as possible. This information will greatly assist your lawyer when they create your case and will put you in a much better position to win. What type of information should you be collecting?
First, get the information of every party that has been involved. Get their name, their number, and any other relevant contact information. If it was a car accident, get their driver’s license number along with their insurance as well. Once that is done look around for witnesses and repeat the same process.
Now it is time to get your camera out and to start photographing the scene. This is important as it can help to prevent any level of insurance fraud from the other party. A common scam during car accidents is that the scammer will damage their car even further after the accident and claim that you are responsible for it. By taking photos of the scene, you have evidence that cannot be disputed in any way. Failure to do this will result in your case having plenty of holes in it.
Talking About the Incident To Others
If you are in an ongoing legal battle regarding a personal injury claim, the last thing you want to do is talk to others about what is happening and about the incident. Naturally, we forget some of the small details and our story might even change from time to time without us intentionally doing so. If the defense hears any of this, they can use this in court against you and once again it will weaken the validity of your case. Although it might be tempting to talk about things with those who are close in your life, until the claim is settled, you should not be sharing any information.
These are just a few mistakes that people make when they are going forward with a personal injury claim. If you have any other major questions, you should direct them to your lawyer who will definitely be able to answer them thoroughly. Hopefully, you are able to find the time to recover and get your life back on track.
