3 Mistakes to Avoid if You’re Pursuing a Personal Injury Claim

If you’ve sustained an injury and are planning to make a personal injury claim, there are many things that can help or hurt your case. The best thing to do is to contact a personal injury law firm right away to get advice and a head start on your case. Not everyone makes that call right away, however, so there are some things that you definitely want to avoid doing should you choose to file a claim.

Not Getting Medical Attention

Even though it can be a shot to your pride, especially if the injury is only so extensive, you should always seek medical care after an accident. Following that, if the doctor gives you instructions to care for your injury and/or medication, you will need to adhere to those as well. If the doctor writes you a prescription that includes a refill, then get the refill. If your doctor wants you to come back in for a check-up in two weeks, you need to go to that appointment. If you act as though you are managing just fine without the proper medical attention and personal care, then the insurance company will interpret that as you weren’t actually hurt. Whether you want to or not, you should always seek medical attention within a week of your injury and follow instructions thereafter.

Not Calling the Police to A Motor Accident

Many people don’t want the police being called in an effort to minimize the severity of the event. The best thing to do is to contact the police right away even if the other driver insists that you handle it between the two of you. Police can prove to be an objective judge in the fault of the accident and can provide invaluable testimony in the claims process.

Forgetting to Take Photos

You undoubtedly have a camera on your phone, one that can take extremely clear pictures at that. If you were in an auto accident, the best thing you can do is to take pictures — of everything. Get wide shots, get close ones, get ones of the inside and then get ones of the outside. If there were any witnesses, get their pictures as well. If you can, also try to write down their information in case they leave before the police arrive. The more visual evidence you provide the better your chances of a smooth claims process will be.

When choosing a personal injury law firm, you should see how much experience they have settling applicable cases. If they didn’t go to court for some of them don’t worry, between 95% and 96% of personal injury cases are settled before they reach the court. Finding the right personal injury law firm means finding the right injury lawyer to help make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.