Experiencing a personal injury due to someone else's negligence can cause considerable pain, suffering and financial burden. In the days following an accident, clients unknowingly succumb to a number of pitfalls that put their personal injury claim at risk. If you've been in an accident, here are five pitfalls to steer clear of.
Posting to Social Media
Twenty years ago, before social media existed, you didn't have to worry about social media impacting your personal injury case. Today, what you post and say over social media can seriously damage your personal injury claim. After an accident, it's important to avoid posting anything to social media, including photos, descriptions of the accident, or video. Bring any documents that support your claim in to your lawyer.
Embellishing Your Injuries
Insurers are always on the look out for people who try to take advantage by exaggerating their injuries. Not only can this put your personal injury claim at risk, but it's also criminal, amounting to insurance fraud. Know that insurers will do everything in their power to ensure that you are accurately representing your injuries, including obtaining medical records and even having an investigator follow you around.
Delaying Medical Intervention
Waiting to get medical attention can seriously damage your personal injury claim. If you don't seek immediate medical attention, the insurer of the personal responsible can claim that your injury was not serious enough to warrant providing you with financial compensation. Delaying medical treatment may reduce the amount of compensation you receive, or cause your claim to be denied altogether.
Delaying Counsel
When it comes to personal injury cases, time is of the essence. The few days following the accident are a critical time where legal advice is extremely useful and can make the difference between a successful personal injury claim and one that gets dismissed. If you've been injured in an accident, contact a personal injury lawyer immediately, especially before speaking with insurance adjusters and investigators.
Providing Written Statements and Interviews
It's extremely important that you avoid providing the insurance adjusters with written statements, or interviews until you seek the advice of an experienced personal injury lawyer and are advised of your rights. Insurance companies employ a number of tactics to get clients to admit fault, or downplay their injuries. You'll likely find yourself swarmed with calls from investigators employed by the insurance company immediately after the accident, when you're most vulnerable. Understand that you are not required to provide immediate statements.
Talk to a professional like James Lee Katz for more assistance.
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