If you’ve been in a car accident, and you are convinced that the other party was at fault, you might feel that obtaining compensation is a sure thing, but be careful. There are some obstacles that you have to get past, and one of them is your own behavior. Some mistakes that you make can hurt your personal injury case.
Insurance companies are notorious for trying to avoid paying on claims. Things you say and do both at the scene of the accident and in the months that follow can be used against you. Here are some of the most common mistakes you could make that might hurt your personal injury case:
Trusting the Insurance Company to Be on Your Side
The job of an insurance company employee is not to empathize with the victim. Their job is to protect the profits of the company they work for, and they will probably try to find a reason to avoid paying out whenever possible. Don’t overshare with insurance company employees, and don’t be too quick to accept a settlement. If you settle too soon but find out you have continuing medical problems later on, it will be too late to do anything about it.
Not Watching What You Say
Talking about your case at all puts you at risk of saying something you shouldn’t have said, or saying something that can be misinterpreted. Avoid talking about the confidential details of your case altogether, especially to a lawyer from the other side or an insurance adjuster.
Sharing the Wrong Things on Social Media
Social media sharing can be particularly damaging to your personal injury case. Status updates that show you actively participating in social events can be used as evidence that your injuries aren’t as bad as you are claiming. It’s a good idea to avoid any social media sharing at all until your case is settled. This includes asking family and friends to avoid tagging you with their pictures and comments.
Not Following Medical Instructions
Seek medical care immediately after an accident and follow your doctor’s orders to the letter. This will not only give you the best chance of healing, but it will also help your personal injury case. If you choose to ignore doctors’ orders by returning to work too soon or by not following through with prescribed treatments, this could be used as evidence that you were not injured as badly as you claimed, or possibly that you were not injured at all.
Not Being Careful About Documentation
Failing to carefully document everything that happened as soon as possible after the accident is a mistake. Always keep a record of the details of the accident and any and all medical appointments since as time passes, important details may be forgotten. It’s also a mistake to fail to be careful about keeping track of documentation pertaining to your case. Misplacing or throwing out important documents can make it difficult later on to prove the extent of your damages or injuries.
Not Consulting a Personal Injury Attorney
Since the insurance company is not on your side, it’s a good idea to consult an expert in the field of personal injury law to make sure you understand your rights and the compensation that you may be entitled to. A personal injury lawyer can also offer you information about how to avoid making mistakes that could hurt your case.
Taos Injury Lawyers want to help you. Contact us using the form on this page and one of our lawyers will get back to you very soon to talk about your case and discuss how we can help.