7 Mistakes Car Crash Injury Lawyers Can You Help Avoid
Car crash injury lawyers are essential because crashes are a daily occurrence in the U.S. Latest figures indicate that about 276 000 car crashes happen on New Jersey roads every year. Out of this, more than 50,000 accidents result in injury.
Unfortunately, not all deserving car crash injury victims get their settlements. Usually, it is due to mistakes that could have been avoided had they consulted a car crash injury lawyer.
This article explores the seven deadly mistakes car crash attorneys can help prevent.
1. Waiting Too Long to Get Treatment
Some people ignore car crashes that appear minor. However, these kinds of injuries are the most dangerous. You may have suffered severe internal injuries that will come back to haunt you later. Examples of injuries that happen after an accident include
- Headache
- Back pains
- Numbness and Tingling
- Abdominal pains
These symptoms are often an indication of more significant problems such a blood clots, brain injury, and internal bleeding.
The longer you wait to get treatment, the conditions will likely worsen. In addition to health implications, insurance companies can use this against you to reduce your settlement.
Your car crash injury lawyer can help you get quality medical treatment to help with hidden injuries. It will also help your case should it go to trial.
2. Posting on Social Media
You might be thinking, “How is that anybody’s business?” However, careless posts on social media cost people legal cases. Anybody can access what you post on your socials even if the account is private.
Avoid posting photos of the injuries or comments about your health. For instance, a pic of you at the basketball court could be interpreted as you being healthy.
Experienced car crash injury lawyers will tell what’s safe and what isn’t. The car crash attorney often asks friends and family members to steer clear of your injury on their posts.
You should exercise caution even after the settlement. A careless post could violate a confidentiality agreement and cost you everything. It is impossible to know all the pitfalls without a car crash injury lawyer to guide you.
3. Talking about the Case with the Insurance Company
The role of insurance adjustors is to limit the payout as much as they can. To achieve this, they deploy all manner of tricks. Fortunately, car crash injury lawyers have seen it all before.
One of the tricks they use is to approach the victim as early as possible. It is not unusual for them to call and ask you for a statement. You should refuse and have them contact your car crash injury lawyer instead.
Recording a statement gives them ammunition against you. It also locks you into a specific narrative even if you couldn’t recollect everything at the time.
Your car crash injury lawyer will have to deal with an uphill battle. Don’t talk to anyone else about the case other than your medical provider and the car accident personal injury attorney.
4. Waiting Too Long to File a Claim
There is usually a lot going in the wake of a car crash. The priority is always to get medical assistance for the injuries. Unfortunately for the victims, the clock starts running immediately.
In New Jersey, the statute of limitation for personal injury cases is two years. A car crash injury lawyer will ensure you file your case within this time limit.
The window is even shorter if your case is against the state or local government. A car crash injury lawyer will help get the ball rolling early enough to avoid being time-barred. Additionally, they still get the case heard after two years if it meets certain exceptions under the law.
5. Accepting the First Offer You Get
There is never a great time to be in a car crash. However, it can be a lot stressful if money is already tight. Suffering an injury only adds to piling bills you have to settle. Insurance companies do their digging and know if someone is desperate. They put together a quick settlement and get you to settle before a car crash injury lawyer is involved. It saves them thousands or even millions of dollars.
Although this can be tempting, the insurance company is likely to pay more if they know you are serious about going to trial. Having an experienced car crash injury lawyer by your side is just the thing to strike fear in their hearts. Your car crash attorney will know how much the case is worth and hold out for the right settlement.
6. Improper Documentation of Medical Expenses
All the money in the world means nothing if you are not around to enjoy it. This is why it is understandable to focus on getting better after a car crash. However, you should remember to hire a car crash injury lawyer to collect evidence while you recover.
The amount of settlement usually depends on the extent of injuries. Your medical report and expenses will legitimize your injuries in court.
To help your car crash injury lawyer, it always advisable to document everything. Keep receipts, medical reports, treatments, and scans. All these expenses can’t be reimbursed if there’s no proof.
7. Dishonesty about Injuries
Car crashes are unfortunate accidents nobody wants. They should not be looked at as an opportunity to get rich. Many victims are tempted to exaggerate the extent of their injuries to secure a higher settlement. Car accident personal injury attorneys know that this works against you. For instance, lying about previous injuries puts your car crash injury lawyer in the wrong spot.
The opposing car crash attorney will bring it up at trial and discredit your claims. It makes you appear dishonest and hurts your chances. Be completely honest with your car crash injury lawyer. Telling them the good and the bad protects them from being blindsided in court.
Contact A Crash Injury Lawyer Today
The biggest mistake you can make is not hiring a car accident personal injury attorney. We recommend getting a car crash injury lawyer in the mix as early as possible. When it comes to getting the job done, you can’t go wrong with Lord, Kobrin, Alvarez, and Fattel LLC. Their aggressive defense for their clients is unparalleled. Contact us today and get the right car crash injury lawyers on your side.
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