Mistakes Following a Car Accident
When you are injured, the last thing on your mind is not making mistakes following a car accident. Unfortunately, you need to do a few things in order to protect yourself and give you the best possible chance for a good outcome. Many drivers are distraught and can hardly concentrate after a motor vehicle accident. But, here are 7 mistakes you don’t want to make.
- Not Getting Medical Attention Right Away
- Not Following the Advice of Your Health Care Team
- Not Reporting the Significance of Your Injuries
- Not Being Truthful about the Severity of Your Injuries
- Not Being Completely Accurate
- Not Getting Legal Help
- Not Getting the Right Lawyer
Not Getting Medical Attention Early
If you don’t get the necessary treatment early on, the insurance company for the at-fault driver won’t give you the benefit of the doubt. It will argue that your injuries weren’t serious enough and that your motives should be questioned. What happens if my injuries show up later?
Follow the Medical Advice You Are Given
Not following the advice of your medical and rehabilitation team can dramatically change the outcome of your case. The law requires you to comply with all reasonable recommendations regarding treatment in an effort to get better and minimize your losses. Your compensation will be decreased if you failed, without good reason, to follow medical advice.
Don’t Minimize Your Injuries
Sometimes people injured in car accidents are suffering significantly, but it’s not reflected in their medical file because they have not reported all of their injuries to their medical rehabilitation team, choosing rather to “grin and bear it Your medical rehabilitation team and the legal team must know the full picture of your suffering so that you can get the care and compensation that reflects your true circumstances.
Tell the Truth
Exaggerating your injuries is a prime example of how people get caught lying to investigators. Insurance lawyers fight your case by presenting you as a liar who is not trustworthy. People get in trouble when they start using strong language to describe how the accident has altered their life. For example, sometimes accident victims will report never being able to shovel snow since the accident, only to be confronted by surveillance of them shoveling snow. If your functional ability has been markedly reduced because of accident-related injuries, you need to be specific to the extent that your abilities have been compromised, without exaggerating.
Disclose Prior Medical Issues
Refusing to acknowledge what should be acknowledged can put you and your lawyer in a difficult situation and will not help your case. Credibility is paramount in a car accident case. Insurance lawyers will carefully review your records in search of inconsistencies. Fertile ground is your pre-accident medical history. For example, if you had a pre-existing medical issue such as back pain, you must admit it, keeping in mind that you can distinguish it by pointing out how it changed because of the accident. The insurer is entitled to your pre-accident medical records and it will know you had pre-existing medical issues.
Getting Help
Not getting legal representation early on can leave you open to making mistakes following a car accident. Experienced lawyers know the law and know the end game. An experienced lawyer will guide you and help build your case with strong evidence of your car accident disability. An experienced lawyer will ensure you’re getting treatment and will arrange experts to assess your long-term prognosis and needs, allowing your lawyer to fight for compensation to cover you in the long-run. Not getting help because of the perceived cost of a lawyer after an accident can be a mistake, there are contingency fee arrangements that can mitigate the cost to the victim.
Finding the Right Lawyer
Finding the right car accident lawyer can make a big difference. Do your research and pick an experienced lawyer with a good track record and reputation. You must be comfortable with your lawyer and trust him or her, which will allow for open communication and put your lawyer on the offensive, rather than the defensive. Bottom line. you need to take care of yourself and let your lawyer take care of the legal side.
