Road mishaps and accidents are a daily occurrence on the roads.
Whether you are at fault or not, many people don’t know what they should do should when they sustain an injury from a car accident. It is important to know is the little mistakes that you make after an accident that can greatly affect your lawsuit and compensation.
Driving while distracted has been sighted to be one of the major causes of accidents, with a record of over one million crashes a year. Most of these accidents involve driving while using a mobile phone. However, there are other numerous causes of road accidents.
Despite the cause, it is important to know what to do. This is because insurance companies and defense lawyers are always on the lookout for mistakes that they can use.
After you have been involved in a car accident and you have called the police, your lawyer and you have been summoned to court. It does not mean that you have won the case. Read on to know what can harm your lawsuit and how to avoid them.
1. Missing Your Medical appointments
Doctors reports are very crucial in lawsuits. You also need these appointments so that you can be able to heal both physically and psychologically.
Failing to show up for your appointments will give the defense the perfect opportunity to claim that you are not really injured. Thus, you would not be compensated or receive any sympathy from the jury. Follow your doctors’ advice to the letter.
2. Talking About the Case
Leave the talking to the lawyer. Defense lawyers and insurance adjusters at times try to contact victims of accidents to gather information from them. Should this happen, direct them to your lawyer. It is never wise to talk about an ongoing case except with your car accident lawyer.
3. Giving out the Accidents Details on Social Media
Facebook, Twitter, and other social media accounts are open to the public, even if you have enabled private settings. Do not post pictures about the accident or any other material that can harm your case.
If you cannot stay away from social media, make sure that your posts and updates are in no way related to the accident. A simple picture with a cute smile can lead to a claim that you are not injured.
4. Failing to Document Your Car Accident Injuries
Take clear pictures of your injuries and any surgeries. Avoid selfies, you can ask your lawyer to get a good photographer so that you can have proper documentation.
Videos are good too but do not act out your pain, let it be real because then the video can also capture your real state of emotion. Do not forget to document the damage on your car as well. Learn more about how to keep proper documents from the experts.
5. Forgetting That You Are Under Investigation Too
Do not forget that in such a case, someone has to pay, and insurance companies try to do anything to avoid that or to lessen the compensation. This is why they put active surveillance on victims at some point in the course of the investigation. They will take videos and photos of you while in public.
So if you are claiming that you suffered a broken limb and are caught on camera going out for a jog, you can be sure that your case is as good as dead. Be honest with the extent of your injuries so that you do not get caught in a lie.
6. Settling Quickly
No matter how good the first settlement offer looks like, do not be too quick to accept it. The lesson here is that when you see the other side willing to settle fast, then they know that you have a very strong case and you are more likely to get a better settlement than what they are offering. Take time and build your case so that you get a fair settlement.
7. Signing Any Document Without Your Lawyers Advice
It is important to remember that once the case is in court, all correspondence should be handled by the lawyer. If you are choosing to back down from the case, do not do so without your lawyer.
There are documents that have clauses that can waive any future claim or allow the at-fault insurance access to your medical records. You might just end up signing away your rights. Leave all paperwork to the lawyer.
8. Renewing Your license
If your injuries state that you are unable to drive any vehicle or take part in any outdoor activities that require you to have a license, for example, fishing or a hunting license, then do not renew it. Such records can be accessed by the public and should the defense be looking, you will have compromised your case.
9. Lying About Pre-Existing Medical Conditions
Give your doctor the true information about your medical history whether you think they are related to the accident or not. Such conditions will not kill your car accident lawsuit but lying about then will.
The defense will try and uncover any prior injuries or lawsuits. Being open about such will ensure that your car accident lawyer is not blindsided and will be prepared to handle them should they come up.
10. Not Keep in Touch with Your Lawyer
Throughout the case, maintain a constant communication channel with your lawyer. If you make any mistake or remember something about the accident, let them know about it immediately. Lawyers tend to know how to handle anything as long as they know about it.
Remember Honesty Is Key When It Comes to a Car Accident Lawsuit
No matter how good your lawyer is, if you were not honest from the start, then the chances of you winning your car accident claims can be slim. These common mistakes majorly affect the outcome of any car accident lawsuit and should be avoided.
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