5 Costly Mistakes People Make After an Auto Accident
If you’ve been hurt in an accident, you can’t afford to make mistakes. Before you know it, the medical bills might start piling up and your boss wants to know when you can come back to work. But if you’re like plenty of people suffering post-accident, there are no easy answers and no one way to heal from an accident. Doing everything you can from the moment the accident happens to protect your interests can be one of the most important ways to protect your future and enable you to remain focused on healing.
In this article, you’ll learn more about five of the most devastating and expensive mistakes you can make and how to avoid them. If you’ve already been seriously injured in an accident, talking with the right lawyer can have a big impact on your ability to recover compensation for your injuries and to be able to adjust to your new normal.
Giving Too Much Information at the Scene
You probably don’t know the other person at the scene of the accident. Emotions are running high and you’re frustrated, confused, and worried that anyone else in your car might have been hurt.
If the other person is angry or blaming you, it’s best to keep calm. There’s no need to sort out fault at the scene of the accident by getting personally involved with the other party. Share your concerns with the police officer at the scene so that this is documented in the police report. Stay with your own vehicle and avoid making statements to the other person.
Share your contact details, of course, but you don’t need to sign anything else or agree to anything at the scene. Your priority should be getting the vehicles out of the way of oncoming traffic and making sure everyone who needs medical attention gets it.
Not Getting Medical Attention
The moments after an accident are like a whirlwind. Most victims are also suffering from shock, which forms something like a protective shield around injuries that might not emerge until later, like whiplash.
Walking away without any obvious broken bones or blood can create a false sense of security; many of the most severe injuries can be internal and are hard to detect with a naked eye. It’s always a good idea to be screened by a medical professional as soon as possible after an accident to ensure there’s nothing more serious.
Taking an Early Settlement
When there are so many things to think about after an accident, it’s tempting to take the easy way out when it seems like there’s a simple solution to at least one of your problems. Remember that if the insurance company offers an upfront settlement, they might be counting on you not knowing the depth of your injuries.
Always have your case evaluated by a personal injury attorney first so that you can tell the difference between a bogus offer and something that’s reasonable based on your injuries.
Not Attending Follow-up Appointments
Don’t give the other side any reason to argue that your injury claims are inflated. If you skip follow-up appointments or doctor recommendations for certain kinds of treatment, this makes the insurance company or the other party responsible for the accident argue that your injuries are caused by your own improper care and that if you had followed properly that you wouldn’t be in pain still.
Keep notes from all your doctor’s appointments and continue to visit your physician and other professionals as recommended.
Not Hiring a Lawyer
If you have significant injuries, it’s very hard to calculate how this could impact your finances now and in the future. Going up against a legal team experienced in defending these kinds of claims on your own puts you at an immediate disadvantage.
When your case is complicated and when your future is dependent on the settlement or trial outcome from such a claim, trust your case to an experienced personal injury lawyer who will fight hard on your behalf to maximize your chances of compensation recovery. Make sure that you take your case seriously so that the other side does, too.
Personal Injury Lawyers Boca Raton
If you’ve already been hurt in an accident, the right attorney is a key component for your ability to receive a fair settlement or to fight for the compensation you deserve in a trial. Having someone else handle the legal aspects of your case enables you to focus on the bigger picture of recovery.
Have you been injured in an auto accident? Contact the dedicated personal injury lawyers at Berman Law Group today at 561-660-9995 to discuss your rights under the law and the best way to move forward
The Berman Law Group
3351 NW Boca Raton Blvd
Boca Raton, FL 33431
(561) 660-9995
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