Being involved in a car accident can be a harrowing experience and fighting against your insurance company or the party you believe liable for the accident in court can make an already difficult experience even more uncomfortable.
Due to the complex nature of these cases, many people who have been in auto accidents will make mistakes that end up hurting their payout in the long run.
Enlisting the services of a skilled auto accident lawyer will help you avoid some of these mistakes.
1. Signing paperwork without an attorney present
Victims of car accidents who sign important paperwork without the guidance of their legal counsel can be signing away any chance of a comprehensive win in their auto accident lawsuit.
Insurance companies do not like to lose to plaintiffs in these types of suits, and therefore they will do their best to put language into paperwork that will mean waiving and potentially losing access to any possible compensation.
When you do not have a lawyer review any paperwork before signing, you may accidentally and unknowingly agree to a limitation or waiver of your compensation.
2. Talking about your injuries or the pending lawsuit to others
People who work on behalf of your insurance company, or other third party firms employed by your insurance company, may call you and ask you for information about the accident you were involved in. It is important that you not divulge any information to them, because it may be used against you later in court.
If someone is calling and asking you for details about your case, tell them that if they need details they can speak directly with your legal counsel.
3. Obfuscating medical history
When you are dealing with a litany of medical professionals and specialists whose aim is to assess your injuries relating to your car accident, it is important to disclose any preexisting conditions truthfully. If this is not done, it may hurt your case in the future and could affect the payout you receive.
Preexisting conditions will not ruin your lawsuit, so do not be afraid to disclose them.
If you are caught in a lie about a preexisting condition in the courtroom, however, you may severely damage your case.
Jurors may question your creditability about other aspects of testimony.
Insurance companies have access to a great deal of data and can easily catch you out in such a lie, so to be safe it is best to remain honest and forthright concerning any and all medical history.
4. Missing medical procedures or appointments
If you miss a medical appointment, it will give the insurance company an opening to make their claim that you are not really hurt and do not deserve compensation. The opposition’s obvious argument is if you truly were hurt you would not have missed the appointment.
It is important as the plaintiff that you demonstrate to the jury that you are working hard to recover and still require the extra compensation for medical expenses that your payout would provide.
Ensure you listen to all your doctors and follow all the instructions your medical team gives you so you do not give the other side any ammunition to hurt your case.
Final thoughts
These are all very important things to consider when filing a claim against your insurance company for additional compensation after a car accident. You want to make sure you are presenting the best and most honest case possible.
If you believe you need to seek more compensation for injuries sustained after an auto accident, contact a skilled and experienced attorney today for a free consultation.
