13 Mistakes People Make In Personal Injury Lawsuits
Most of the personal injuries in the United States are due to car crashes. If you, god forbid, suffer from personal injuries, you deserve fair compensation.
But no one is willing to pay the right compensation. It is an unfortunate reality that defense lawyers and insurance adjusters always search for mistakes. And, in case they find one, the immediately pounce on that to take advantage of settling for less.
This blog lists 13 mistakes that people usually make in personal injury lawsuits. Dig deep into the page for details.
1. Not Choosing the Right Attorney
The first thing is that you must hire someone who is licensed to practice in the locality. If you are in Los Angeles, you should only consult someone with a proven track record, such as WestCoastTrialLawyers about personal injury law.
Choose a Los Angeles trial attorney with long exposure in this specialized field of law. Also, make inquiries about their track record and how busy they are. This is because an extremely overloaded lawyer may not be the ideal selection. Read here for more.
2. Suppressing the Facts
Personal injury lawsuits have good and bad points. Never hide anything from your attorney. You must tell your attorney every detail; repeat every detail, about the case.
Your attorney represents you and works to win the case. So, never suppress anything, however trivial you think that to be. Also, do not give any false or fabricated information. This can entail disastrous results.
3. Talking About the Lawsuit
Many people may contact you to talk about the case and settlement. They could be anyone from insurance adjusters, risk managers, and defense lawyers.
But you should never talk with the people hired by the driver at fault. The most prudent advice is not to talk to anyone except your personal injury lawyer. Ask them to approach your attorney. This will keep you safe.
4. Discussing the Case on Social Media
People have a very strong presence on social media now. They have a habit of sharing everything on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and other social platforms.
Remember, that the other side is looking for facts against you. For this, they are likely to access your social media accounts. They play this dirty game to shake off their responsibility or at least to settle for less.
So never discuss the case or post anything concerning the accident in the social media. They may go against you.
5. Not Keeping the Key Evidence
Most of the people never treat the spot of the accident as a murder scene. But you must do so without fail. If possible, take many photos and videos using your Smartphone. Otherwise, get a professional photographer. For car accidents, take photos of the cars immediately after the crash.
Note down every detail of the spot. This must include if the street lights are on and if there is anything obscuring the view, and like that. Also, note down the direction of the sun. Moreover, speak to the eyewitnesses because they are not likely to help you after a lapse of a few months.
6. Signing Documents Without Consultation
Never, never, and never sign any document without consulting your personal injury lawyer. Forms related to personal injury case may have questions that trap you into giving contradictory information.
Moreover, a simple looking form may also contain declarations on waiving rights in fine prints. So, you must check with your attorney before signing any document related to the personal injury case.
7. Settling the Claim Too Early
The ideal scenario is to settle the claim after full physical and mental recovery. Make sure that medical diagnosis and the expected recovery time is final. Because chances are that you may have to continue treatment beyond this period. Remember, once you settle, you cannot ask for more.
In case this happens due to bad professional advice you may file a professional negligence case for recovery.
8. Not Telling the Pre-existing Injuries and Medical Conditions
Doctors inquire about the medical history for treatment. Disclose if you have a pre-existing injury and medical condition to the doctor. While these will not kill your lawsuit, acting otherwise will do.
Tracking your medical history is easy through social security numbers and insurance database. Disclosing these will make your case favorable.
9. No Regular Communication With the Attorney
Don’t think that your personal injury lawyer has your lawsuit in mind. This is practically impossible as he handles many lawsuits together. So, you must interact with him regularly. Often, speaking to the lawyer over the phone resolves many issues.
10. Not Asking Questions
When you involve in personal injury claim proceedings, many questions are likely to rise in the mind. Don’t think that it will be stupid to ask these to your attorney. After all, it is your claim and you have a right to know. Who knows that it will not open a new point in favor of the claim!
11. Missing Medical Appointments
Never miss a medical appointment. You should also follow their instructions. Failing to go on the day of appointment may raise questions about your injury. But attending the appointment means that you are working hard to recover. Inform the attorney if you are referred to another doctor.
12. Applying Too Late
Every state has its own personal injury law statute that gives a deadline. You can settle the claim or file a lawsuit within this specific period. As such, you should consult a personal injury attorney as early as possible after the injury to avoid delay.
13. Mistakes in No-fault Forms
Submission of these forms is necessary to get reimbursement for the service provided. You must fill this up very carefully. A simple and innocent mistake in the form can be critical and you may lose these benefits.
Conclusion
You must keep the above mistakes in mind. They have the power to throw your lawsuit out of the court. Some of these may seem to be unnecessary. Still, we suggest you be cautious about them. Mind, that remaining safe is always better than to be sorry afterwards.
