- Personal injury accidents caused by car crashes, slips and falls, or workplace injuries can cause economic, physical and mental health issues for which most individuals should be compensated.
- Personal injury victims will need the support of the appropriate legal team to gain a successful recovery and ensure that the truth behind an injury claim is present at all times.
- Unfortunately, many accident and injury victims make mistakes that could hurt their case and cause further hardship and stress.
- Although avoidable, signing documents, not acknowledging pain or a doctor’s order, missing important windows of time to collect evidence, and sharing too many details with others can all play costly roles before a personal injury accident claim is even filed.
5 Things You Should Never Do After Your Personal Injury Accident
If you become injured in an accident and hope to pursue compensation for the related damages it’s important that even though life may feel turned upside down, legal help can often help set things straight. Before that though, you will need to implement some important safeguards so your claims can be best supported. You can start by avoiding these five simple missteps before meeting with an attorney.
- Sign Something, Participate in a Recorded Conversation
If you have been asked to sign anything regarding your case, this should be a cue to consult with a lawyer. Although these documents can look harmless, it’s the fine print that may sway any chance to present a valid injury claim in an unfavorable direction – even if you were not at fault.
Insurance companies are beyond powerful, backed by a team of lawyers dedicated to fighting to get their money back from any liability covered. In addition, you should not agree to provide a recorded statement with these representatives without legal counsel present.
- Ignore Pain
The symptoms of a motor vehicle accident or other injury, serious or seemingly small, may not always show up immediately. Often times, an injured person’s body will be riding on adrenaline the moments after one of these events, making it difficult to recognize pain or discomfort. But issues can present within a few hours to even a couple days later.
Immediate care and an assessment by a medical professional will reduce the chance of complications and provide the treatment and proper documentation, as well as awareness of pain and suffering type of symptoms. An attorney can discuss these examples of compensatory damages a personal injury victim may claim under pain and suffering:
- Anxiety or worry attributable to the personal injury
- Grief, terror, and fright
- Impairment of ability to work, or keep employment
- Mental distress, failure to enjoy family and life
- Physical pain, disfigurement and deformity
- Shock, embarrassment, and humiliation
- Worrisome, anxiousness, and nervousness
Be sure to always alert your physician of any new developments in your health, medical treatment, new injury symptoms, medical conditions or mental struggles you are experiencing.
- Forget to Collect Helpful Evidence in Time
Collecting evidence to prove someone else’s negligence can feel quite exhausting while dealing with your own recovery. But having the right evidence after being involved in either a motor vehicle accident or slip, trip, and fall can be a bit easier with the help of an experienced attorney.
An experienced legal team can help locate that evidence for you and make a formal request to retrieve it. For example, a law firm may be able to access real-time video footage and photography of the accident scene since many Kentucky traffic cameras are set to record busy intersections.
But it’s important to reach out to an experienced attorney with a reputable history in collecting and managing this type of evidence. Traffic camera footage, as well as private home-owner or business surveillance, may only be available for a short window of time after your accident.
- Not Listen to Your Doctor
If you don’t make it to all of your scheduled doctor’s appointments or follow his/her suggested advice for the best chance at recovery, the insurance company will probably allege that your injuries are not sustainable or existing and that your claim should be dismissed, denied or settled at a lower cost. Listening to the directions provided by your medical help will help show the insurance company exactly how serious or not your injuries are.
- Share Accident and Injury Details on Facebook
Insurance companies are searching for information including photos and your comments to weaken claims. Even though sharing the details of your accident on social media accounts, or making comments in a public setting, may feel much like second nature when a life event such as an accident happens, if you are pursuing a claim for damages resulting from that accident those social platform engagements are likely to be used against you.
When you meet with an injury attorney at Rhoads and Rhoads, they will provide you with resources on how to use social media accounts before, during, and after the claim period.
It’s never a bad time to contact a personal injury attorney for support, even if you have made these mistakes and fear it is too late. But as soon as you are able, get in touch with a legal expert who can work closely with witnesses, those who reconstruct accidents, medical doctors, and other subject-area experts who are equipped to support your case. An attorney can guide a thorough investigation of every accident detail and recover the compensation that you need to get through this difficult time.
Owensboro and Madisonville Personal Injury Lawyers — No Recovery, No Fee
With offices in Owensboro and Madisonville, Rhoads & Rhoads represents the seriously injured throughout Western Kentucky. We offer free initial consultations, and all cases are taken on a contingency fee basis, so there is no payment required up front. We get paid only if we win or settle your case, and NO RISK involved.
Call us at 888-709-9329 or contact us by e-mail to schedule an appointment with one of our Madisonville or Owensboro personal injury attorneys.
Read: Statute of Limitations for Kentucky Car Accident Victims