Steps to Take After Suffering a Personal Injury
In any kind of personal injury situation, you’re going to wind up with a mountain of bills. Emergency medical care, physical therapy, and prescriptions aren’t cheap, plus you’re most likely going to miss work.
You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s negligence, which is why you need to follow certain steps after suffering a personal injury. This will help you protect your legal rights and keep you from incurring blame for your injuries, allowing you to get the full amount of compensation you deserve.
Don’t Wait to Get Medical Treatment
It doesn’t matter if you’ve been in a car crash or slipped on the floors at your favorite restaurant. You should always seek medical treatment after these types of injuries because the impacts they have may not be evident immediately.
Left untreated, certain injuries can become worse or even be life-threatening. Legally speaking, neglecting to get medical treatment after these injuries or even delaying it for too long may send the wrong message to the insurance company. For the best chance at recovering full compensation, you will want to get treated right away. Otherwise, you may find that the insurance company tries to claim your injuries were from a pre-existing condition or happened after the accident.
Document the Details
If you can in the moments following what happened, take photos and videos. This is especially important in car accidents and for premises liability cases. With vehicles, these eventually must be moved out of the way, and capturing evidence at the time shows skid marks and other details. In a slip and fall at a restaurant or store, the owner may clean up the hazard if you wait too long to document things.
Write down everything you remember leading up to the incident and keep details on everything afterward. Bills and associated costs for these injuries should also be kept organized to help you with your personal injury claim.
Avoid Discussing What Happened with Others
Naturally, you’re going to be upset about what happened. Your friends and family will also be concerned, but it’s important to refrain from discussing the details. You should never post about a personal injury case online as this information can be used against you.
According to a personal injury lawyer at Ogg, Murphy & Perkosky, P.C., even posting a photo of yourself can send the wrong message. The other party will try to spin it in a way that you can’t possibly be that injured if you’re posting photos of your life. The only person you should discuss your personal injury case with is an attorney.
Obtain Legal Representation with a Personal Injury Attorney
There is no law that requires you to hire an attorney for a personal injury case. However, it will be in your best interest to have a legal expert on your side. Once you hire a personal injury attorney, they will begin an investigation and gather evidence to show that the other party was negligent.
When you work with a lawyer from the start, you will also have someone who can assess the full amount of your damages. Insurance companies are notorious for trying to take advantage of injury victims and their lack of knowledge in this area of the law. They also know you may be struggling to keep up with your usual household bills now that you have these added expenses from your injuries.
Your attorney can review the settlement they offer before you sign to ensure it is fair. Most of the time, it won’t be, but your attorney will take over negotiations and fight for you.
