There are things we should and shouldn’t do in almost every situation, and all of that can have an even deeper meaning when it is about some legal matter. In a personal injury claim, certain actions can do more harm than good and even jeopardize the whole case.
That is why before taking any action doing some research is a must, but there are also many things we need to deal with promptly when the accident and injury happens, like seeking medical help and following medical recommendations.
Of course, this is just the beginning, so if you want to learn more about how not to sabotage your personal injury case, keep reading or check this blog calvinbarry.ca for detailed instructions.
1. Not consulting experts
Now, this is the first and most important step, as you want to be represented by those with vast experience in personal injury claims. These professionals know everything, all the things you can file for, and also what can be expected from the other party when the trial starts.
Not to mention how important for your case is not signing any document without consultation, as even one signature on the wrong paperwork can leave you with nothing. Hiring a lawyer with a lot of experience is crucial for your case and whether you are going to get compensated or not, and if so, how much. So, make sure you go with the one that understands what you are going through, is willing to listen, and is the one that you can trust.
2. Publishing on Social media
First of all, you need to remember that your private info should remain precisely that, private. Many people publish their thoughts and photos on Social media every day, so their friends and family can see what is happening in their lives.
Social media is a great thing, and we can use it to get in touch with people from all around the world for free, but keep in mind that it is not a good place to talk about legal stuff. If you decide to file a claim and post photos of the accident on Social media after that, the person responsible for your injuries can see them and use them against you.
Because of that, it is crucial to speak only to the attorney and avoid speaking about the accident with people who can use it against you accidentally or on purpose. It’s just about taking precautions, as you don’t want your claim to be denied just because of something you wrote on your social media profile.
3. Lying about facts
One of the most important things is to be completely honest with the attorney when it comes to injuries and accident details. We can sometimes be under the impression and exaggerate our injuries, which can lead to losing a case in the worst scenario.
Yes, feeling pain can lead us to make wrong decisions, but it shouldn’t affect our claim because, in the end, it can do more harm than good. All information needs to be checked and proved, and because of that, lying about the accident details and exaggerating injuries is never a good idea.
Being honest and telling the truth makes everything much easier for experts and also us, and on the other hand, lying can face us even with legal consequences. So, before making any claim that goes into a permanent record, think twice about what you really want to express and present details regarding the injury. Of course, all of that after consulting with an attorney.
4. Avoiding seeing a doctor
The first thing every person should do after the accident is to seek medical help and receive treatment if necessary. It is something we need to do before filing a claim because sometimes we are not aware of our injuries without a professional opinion, and they can cause us a lot of problems.
Things like internal bleeding and sometimes even certain fractures do not show any signs at that very moment when we got injured, mostly due to a rush of adrenaline. So, in case you even suspect something is wrong, seeing a medical professional is a must for both reasons, your safety, and overall health, and because of a potential personal injury claim.
Our health is the most valuable thing we have, and it is crucial to make sure everything is alright before proceeding to legal stuff. Besides that, the medical report is a crucial part of the injury case, and having it can mean a difference between losing and winning the case.
It is necessary to save all the medical records and bills and use them as proof of the injuries and medical expenses that should be compensated. Of course, the court can file a claim and obtain all medical documents if needed, but it’s always good to have a copy.
5. Forgetting to gather necessary information
It can be pretty difficult to stay calm after the accident and gather all the necessary information, but it is something that we need to do in order to file a claim. That means we should ask every witness for their contact information and ask them to write a statement about what they have seen.
Besides that, we need to write down all the relevant stuff such as a license plate, number of a driving license, and driver’s personal information if we participated in the traffic accident.
Our phone can be a pretty useful tool as we can use it to take pictures of the vehicle, injuries, and the whole scene, which can also be used as proof once it gets to the court. The more information we gather, it will make much easier for experts to assess what happened and whose fault it is.
Besides that, it will also provide details regarding the accident itself and whether and how severe it was, and whether the person responsible for the accident endangered others. A picture is really worth a thousand words and can be of great help in these types of situations.
