When people make personal injury claims, even a small mistake could significantly impact the outcome of their case. Because of that, it is imperative that you understand how to handle making a personal injury claim and what kinds of errors could be significantly detrimental to your level of compensation. With careful thought and the right information, you can reduce your risk of losing out on compensation due to personal injury lawsuit mistakes.
That not only means better compensation, but it can also mean an easier case and a faster resolution to it, as well. Naturally, those are all things you will want to consider because they can make your case less stressful. Additionally, when you hire a personal injury lawyer, they can help you get the fair and just compensation you deserve so that you can move forward with your life. Here are three of the most common areas where mistakes are made when trying to understand how to file a personal injury claim.
Deciding not to work with a personal injury lawyer is one of the biggest mistakes someone could make when they have a personal injury case. Suppose you are considering negotiating with the other party yourself or simply choosing to work with an insurance company to get a settlement. In that case, you could be losing out on thousands of dollars or more. That could leave you responsible for a lot of your own medical bills and any ongoing care you may need due to your injuries.
Sometimes, people choose to handle their own personal injury claims because they want to avoid attorney fees. However, by not working with a personal injury attorney, you could end up losing out on far more than the fee the attorney would charge. Why take that risk when you could have a significantly higher level of compensation by letting an attorney help you file any personal injury claims you have.
Even if you feel like you are not seriously injured at the time of your accident, make sure you seek out medical care. Some personal injury issues may not show up for a few days or even a few weeks. But if you see a doctor soon after your accident, you have it on record that you sought medical care. Then, when you follow up later due to the appearance or worsening of symptoms, you will have a paper trail linking those symptoms back to the accident itself.
When you do not seek out medical care and then make a claim for injuries, it can appear that those injuries were not tied to the original incident. The other party (and their attorney and insurance company) are likely going to make the argument that they did not cause your injuries and that you would have sought medical care sooner if you had been injured at the time. Even if that is not the case at all, it can be hard to claim serious injuries or ongoing problems if you never went to the doctor for them.
The other party’s insurance company will likely offer you a settlement, especially if they know that their client is likely at fault. The goal of that settlement is to stop you from working with a personal injury lawyer in an attempt to receive a much higher level of compensation than they are offering. If you accept their offer, you will be unable to file personal injury claims regarding that incident in the future. This is another huge personal injury lawsuit mistake people make, and it can be easily avoided.
Another reason you do not want to speak with insurance representatives before talking with a personal injury attorney is because personal injury claims can be jeopardized when you accidentally say something the other party can use. For example, if you admit partial fault in the incident, that could significantly reduce the amount of compensation you could receive. That will harm your case, and in some circumstances, it may mean that you suddenly do not have a viable case anymore at all.
Avoid the risks of making a mistake when filing personal injury claims. Instead of handling the case on your own, contact a Connecticut accident lawyer at McCoy & McCoy to set up a free consultation. By doing that, you will have trusted personal injury attorneys on your side, so you can navigate the potential issues that may come up with your personal injury claim. You will have more peace of mind knowing that trusted, experienced professionals are working with you to provide the best possible resolution to your case.
Pretty Good
It really helped when you mentioned the importance of never speaking with an insurance agent without a lawyer’s help. A few hours ago, my sister was driving home after taking her son to school when a driver hit her car. We’re waiting for my sister’s medical diagnosis, and in the meanwhile, my parents and I will find a lawyer to help us. Thank you for the information on personal injury claims and how we’d get a higher level of compensation.