When you’re injured in an accident, you’re going to have well-meaning advice-givers coming out of the woodwork. From your loved ones to random followers on social media, everyone has had an experience and has something to share.
The fact that personal injury accidents are so common isn’t good, but it does give you an advantage. It means that you’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure out what to do on your own.
Working with an attorney who specializes in your type of claim is the best way to navigate this time. Professionals like William McFarlane law know how to handle a case and get the desired results. Whether you’re trying to get through on your own or you have a lawyer, you need to focus on healing, not the legal red tape. The legality of your case can be handled well by an experienced lawyer with the help of legal graphics and other evidence.
These three personal injury tips will help you get the treatment you need and move forward on the road to recovery.
1. Seek Medical Care Promptly
If the injury isn’t immediately obvious, many people prefer to go home and deal with their problems.
It’s understandable. A trip to the hospital is usually costly and time-consuming. If you’re not sure who is paying for it, as in the case of a rideshare accident, you’d rather not end up with a hefty bill.
Ridesharing cases are a relatively new field of law. Untangling the insurance details to determine who is responsible for your damages can take some time. Meanwhile, your medical bills are piling up, or you’re refusing to get treated because you don’t want the expenses.
Although it’s still a legal work in progress, there are precedents that have already been set. If you were in a rideshare accident, read this article to learn what your options are for medical assistance.
Some Symptoms Aren’t Immediate
However, a lot of physical damage after an accident is under the surface. You don’t realize it at first because your body is still dealing with the adrenaline of the incident. The symptoms can take hours, days, or weeks to show up.
By seeking medical care, you’re documenting that there was an accident and you had an injury. The specialists at the healthcare facility know how to watch for signs of possible problems.
Some of the most common include concussion, whiplash, and spinal damage, but the pain is not always immediate with these issues.
2. Never Jump at a Settlement
One of the first things your insurance adjuster is going to do is ask you if you were injured. What you say here can affect the rest of your case.
The best thing to do is say yes, and you’re seeking medical care. Go to the doctor and follow the treatment plan you’re prescribed. When the adjuster checks in on you, let them know you’re still under your doctor’s care.
The insurance company’s first recourse is usually to try to offer you a lowball settlement. If you’re out of work and hurting for money, it’s going to be tempting to take it. What you need to realize is that as soon as you accept this offer, they are no longer responsible for your medical bills. If you end up needing surgery or more medical treatment, it will come out of your pocket.
This is where working with a skilled personal injury attorney is beneficial. Instead of going to you with a settlement, the insurance has to talk to your lawyer. They’ll let you know what the offer was and why you should or shouldn’t take it. From there, you can decide what you want to do.
However, you should never take the first settlement offer without getting legal advice.
3. Keep Your Life on the Down-Low
Social media has been an incredible technological innovation. It lets us connect with our loved ones all over the world.
It has also been the downfall of many personal injury cases.
Why You Need to Stay Offline After an Accident
For instance, someone who is in the middle of a lawsuit claiming a personal injury boasts about their white water rafting vacation. The defense attorney gets a hold of that post and uses it in court as evidence that the plaintiff isn’t really hurt.
It’s possible that the injured party didn’t participate because of their injury but wanted it to look like they did. Or maybe they went on the trip but were laid up in bed for weeks after due to the pain.
None of this matters when the evidence points to a person faking their accident.
What you must realize is that everything you say and do will be scrutinized if you’re filing a personal injury claim. Even if you post something and then delete it, the damage has potentially already been done. What’s on the internet is there forever.
The best thing to do is to keep your life on the down-low until the case is over. You can talk about it after your settlement is received.
Conclusion
After a personal injury accident, there are a few things you can do to maximize your claim and get the settlement you’re entitled to. With these three essential tips, you can focus on recovering, knowing that you’ve done everything you can to handle the legalities.
