Steps To Take To Strengthen Your Injury Case
Most people will believe that a personal injury case is fairly straightforward. The reality is that it is not that simple.
With technology and insurance companies more tight-fisted, it is important to do everything possible to strengthen your case. This holds true even if liability in your matter is not in dispute – meaning the other party has already admitted fault.
Below are a few tips and steps to take to strengthen your injury claim.
1. WITNESSES
If possible, look for witnesses. A witness can drastically assist in supporting your claim. They can provide an unbiased perspective of what happened and support your position. If there is a witness gather their information including their name, phone number, and address.
2. POLICE REPORT
3. DO NOT SPEAK TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY WITHOUT A LAWYER
Insurance companies do not have your best interest at heart. Their interest is to pay you as little as possible to resolve your claim. This is true even with your own insurance company. Any information that you provide them – whether verbal or written – will be used against you. Thus, it is important to retain counsel to protect your interest.
4. SEEKING IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION
No matter how minor your injuries are, it is important to seek medical attention. This will provide official documentation of your injuries, which is necessary for your claim. In today’s world, it can seem difficult if not impossible to find the time to get anything done. However, in an injury case nothing is more important than seeking proper medical attention and going to treatment as recommended by a physician. Even the smallest gap in treatment from the date of your accident can have a harmful impact on your case. We have found that a number of our clients that initially report little pain, feel the extent of their injuries 5-7 days later. Therefore, it is advisable to make sure you see a medical professional as soon as possible.
5. FOLLOW YOUR DOCTOR’S ORDERS
As a follow-up to the previous tip, it is important to follow your doctor’s recommendations. If they order you into treatment or different therapies, it is important to follow their professional advice.
6. LIMITING ACCESS TO SOCIAL MEDIA
Everyone today has a Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok. Insurance companies and defense attorneys are fully aware of this. It is VERY important to make sure all your accounts are private. Insurance companies pay companies and individuals whose sole objective is to find photographs or videos that may show that you are not injured. Therefore, it is imperative that all accounts be private and that you do not accept any unknown friend requests while your case is pending. By staying off social media or otherwise making your account private, you remove a tool from the insurance company’s arsenal
7. EVIDENCE PRESERVATION
No matter how small a piece of evidence may seem to you, it can make the difference in your case. Therefore, it is important to maintain all data and evidence related to your case and hand it over to your attorney at LA Century Law for review and retention. Furthermore, in California, once litigation is anticipated, you have a duty to preserve and maintain any and all evidence that may be related to your case.
8. CONTACT A LAWYER
Once you retain an attorney, the insurance company cannot speak to you directly. An attorney can protect your interest and take care of all the heavy lifting associated with your case. In fact, a 2019 study found that using an attorney in your injury claim increases your recovery by three times (3x). Therefore, even though you are not legally required to be represented by an attorney to make an injury claim, an attorney can add major value to your case in addition to protecting your rights.
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