Five Things That Could Ruin Your Personal Injury Claim
Accidents occur more often than we would like, which often comes with pain, suffering, and confusion when you or a loved one is injured in an accident. If you or your loved one suffered injuries due to an accident that was caused by another person, you could be entitled to damages through a personal injury claim.
Most personal injury claims are settled out of court before they ever reach trial. An experienced Florida personal injury attorney can negotiate with the other person’s insurance company to secure a settlement on your behalf. However, there are a number of mistakes that people commonly make when pursuing a personal injury claim. These include, but are not limited to, the following:
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Failure to seek immediate medical attention after an accident. Even if you feel like you have not suffered significant injuries, if you feel pain, you still should see your physician and have them examine and document your accident. Many injuries don’t rear their ugly heads for days after the accident and refusing to seek medical attention may be used against you later on by the defendant in the claim.
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Failure to obey the instructions of your doctor. If you do seek medical attention, but fail to comply with your doctor’s orders, the defendant may try to claim that you weren’t really injured or that they weren’t the cause of your injuries. You must continue to follow your doctor’s orders and follow up with your appointments as directed.
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Misrepresenting your injuries or the accident to your doctor. You must be honest with your doctor regarding the accident. Neither downplay nor exaggerate your injuries. This will cast doubt on your honesty and could be detrimental to your claim.
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Failure to report the accident to the police. Even if the accident seems relatively minor, it can still cause serious injuries. However, having the police make an accident report can be critical to your personal injury claim, so always be sure that you report the accident to the police.
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Failure to document your accident immediately. If you are able to after your accident, you should document everything you can remember about the accident and take pictures of as many things as possible including the area the accident occurred, any damages to vehicles or other property, and any injuries. Also try to obtain the names and contact information of other parties involved and any witnesses who saw the accident take place.
Contact an Experienced Florida Personal Injury Attorney
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, it is imperative that you contact a personal injury attorney as quickly as possible. The Boca Raton attorneys at Leifer & Ramirez have over 30 years of experience helping clients with personal injury cases and can help you too. We can advise you of your legal options and make sure that you take the steps needed to properly document your case. Contact our office today to schedule a free consultation.
Resource:
leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0000-0099/0095/Sections/0095.11.html
