If you have suffered injuries in an accident caused by someone else, what you do in the following days and weeks matters. You need to take steps to protect both your health and your legal rights so that you can move on with your life and hold the person responsible for your injuries accountable.
Below, we discuss some of the most critical steps you should take after suffering an injury in a preventable accident. To learn more or discuss your case with a lawyer, contact a personal injury lawyer near you as soon as possible. An attorney can review your case, determine whether you have a claim, and advise you on steps to protect your legal rights.
Take Care of Your Health Before Anything Else
The most important thing for you to do is to tend to your medical situation after you have suffered an injury in an accident. Choosing to see a doctor is one thing that is under your control. The timing of when you seek medical help matters to both your health and your legal case. The more time that has elapsed before you have sought medical care, the harder it may be to make a full recovery. Accident injuries can get worse over time if they have been left untreated.
In addition, you should follow up on your medical treatment. Make sure to schedule and keep medical appointments. You should also follow any prescribed instructions for rehabilitation and prescription medications. Not only is following a doctor’s orders good for your medical health, but it can also help your legal case. The insurance company will take steps to determine whether you have followed your duty to mitigate your damages. You have a legal obligation to see a doctor and get medical help because you must do everything you can to keep your damages as low as possible. Dragging your feet in getting medical care can provoke the insurance company into trying to lower your settlement offer.
Hire a Personal Injury Attorney to Represent You
The other thing that you have under your control is whether and when to seek help from a personal injury lawyer for your case. The question is not whether you need to retain a personal injury attorney, but rather when you should hire an attorney to represent you in the legal process. The answer is always “as soon as possible.”
It is extremely difficult for you to make a full financial recovery if you are trying to approach the insurance company on your own. If you do not have a lawyer, they will not take your case nearly as seriously as if you do. This is because they know that it is unlikely that an unrepresented person will file a lawsuit or be aware of the full scope of their losses, making them much more likely to make an inadequate settlement offer.
It is crucial that you get help from a personal injury lawyer as soon as you can after the accident. Your legal rights are at risk every moment that they are unprotected. The insurance company is watching you closely and testing to see where you have vulnerabilities. They will not hesitate to lower your settlement offer or deny your claim, especially if you do not have an attorney.
Your Personal Injury Lawyer Needs Time to Do Their Job
While your state’s statute of limitations may give you several years to file a claim after an accident, you should retain an attorney as soon as possible after an accident. Your lawyer needs time to conduct an immediate investigation of your accident so they can gather the evidence you need to prove negligence before it quickly disappears.
Then, your personal injury attorney needs to prepare a compelling claim that can persuade the insurance company to accept liability in your case. They may need to draft a lawsuit complaint that helps you put your best foot forward in court.
The legal process in your personal injury case can take considerable time. The full extent of your damages may not be clear until you reach maximum medical improvement. However, you should have someone on your side at the early stages of your case to protect your legal rights and start working on your claim.
You Must Be Patient to Get the Best Legal Result
The wheels of justice turn slowly. You must be prepared to exercise as much patience as possible in your personal injury case. The at-fault party or their insurance company will not hand you financial compensation overnight. Instead, it only comes after a tough fight with the insurance company. It is very rare that you ever accept the first settlement offer that the insurance company makes you. Instead, you will likely reject multiple settlement offers before there is one that makes sense for you to accept.
What you should not do is every bit as important as what you should do after you have suffered a personal injury. The worst mistake that you can make is to trust the insurance company in any way. You should never try to talk to them, thinking you can persuade them to pay you the full amount of money they owe you. The insurance company is trying to get information from you that they can use against you when it suits them. The insurance company may ask you to speak with them about your accident or even ask you to accept a quick settlement offer from them to resolve your case. You should do neither because both are directly against your interests in your personal injury case.
Contact an Injury Attorney Today
Instead of dealing with the insurance company yourself, you should schedule a free initial consultation with a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Waiting even a few days to call an attorney can hurt your legal rights and negatively affect the outcome of your case. If you are worried about the price of a lawyer, do not be – you do not have to pay anything to speak with a personal injury attorney, and you owe them nothing unless you win your case. Contact an attorney today.