Common Mistakes When Filing a Lawsuit
Your personal injury case begins the minute you’ve been hurt in an accident. It would be best if you took the appropriate actions from day one, and failure to act immediately could hurt your ability to get financial compensation. That’s why you should consult with an attorney as soon as possible.
You need to keep track of many things in the aftermath of an accident, which can make things difficult. The following are 6 mistakes that could prevent you from collecting the financial compensation you deserve.
You should know that there are plenty of scenarios where you can sue for the injuries you sustained as well.
1. Delaying medical treatment
Seek medical treatment as soon as possible after an accident. This will help ensure that the injuries you’ve suffered are documented and that any new complications are dealt with appropriately.
2. Failing to seek medical attention
Some people don’t think they need to see a doctor after an accident when there are no apparent injuries. This is a big mistake. Sometimes car accident injuries are not immediately apparent. If you don’t seek medical attention right away, and you start to notice injuries that are not included in your accident claim, you won’t be able to get compensation for them.
3. Representing yourself
There’s an old saying, a man who represents himself in court has a fool for a client. It’s especially true during a personal injury case. Unfortunately, some people injured in accidents try to handle their cases by themselves.
Keep in mind, the insurance company and their lawyers know more about insurance law than average citizens. Handling this without a lawyer is not a smart thing to do. To get the compensation you deserve, you need an experienced personal injury attorney.
4. Not hiring a lawyer because of costs
Some people think they can’t afford an attorney. Did you know that most personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee? This means that they don’t collect any money unless they win your case. Therefore, there’s no reason not to hire an attorney because the fee they collect from you will be a portion of your settlement. Your settlement will typically be much higher by hiring a lawyer than what an insurance company would offer you without one.
5. Waiting too long to file
There is usually a statute of limitations on how long you have to file a personal injury claim after the accident. In most states, it’s typically two years after the date of the accident. However, it could take several months to recover from a catastrophic accident. Many of those months are spent in hospitals and rehab. If you’re recovering from your accident, you’re in no shape to be filling out any paperwork to start filing your claim. This is another reason to hire a personal injury attorney right away, so you can get your claim filed before it’s too late.
6. Giving the insurance company an official statement
The insurance company will try to record a statement from you as soon as possible after the accident. Please don’t give it to them. They do this to see if they can use your testimony against you to deny your claim later on. Sometimes, they count on the fact that you might be confused in the immediate aftermath of your accident. They may even try to twist your words. Do not give a statement to the insurance company without first speaking to a lawyer.
Finding The Right Lawyer For Your personal Injury Case
Hiring a personal injury lawyer should be utilized if you’ve been in an accident. Trying to file a personal injury claim without a lawyer can prevent you from getting the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
