What Not To Do When Filing For Personal Injury Compensation

Car accidents may not seem like something that can happen to you, but they’re common enough that everyone can expect to be involved in one at least once. Despite that, many people still don’t know what to do to make sure their rights are protected in the event of an accident. You should make sure that you’re properly compensated and to do that, you need to avoid these four mistakes:

1. Underselling Your Injuries
One thing that most people often make when it comes to injury filing is they underestimate the cost of the damage the injury has caused. Some people just choose to “tough it out” and file a claim for minimal compensation, but that would be a waste of a good opportunity. For example, if you work as a typist but you hurt your hand, you can claim that the injury impedes your ability to work and reduces your potential income. If you miss out on a promotion due to your injury, you can also factor that into your compensation claim

2. Not Taking Action Immediately
It’s imperative that you take action as soon as the accident happens. Otherwise, you might miss out on the opportunity to get everything you deserve. The first person you should call is your insurance representative and see if they can help you get compensation. If not, then you will have to ring your attorney to ask what your next course of action should be. It’s essential that you act while the evidence and information are still fresh, as that will improve your chances of making the most out of what happened.

You need to make sure that you talk to any witnesses and take pictures of the scene and the damage to your vehicle. This will make sure that you have a record of the scene before it can be tampered with, which will make your claim more credible.

3. Giving Out Too Much Information
At first glance, it may seem that your insurance person’s job is to represent your best interests, but the truth is, the only thing they care about is settling the case while shelling out as little money as possible. Therefore, you shouldn’t give them all the crucial information, as they may use that against you and reduce the size of the settlement you can get. Just give them the basics: how the accident happened, where it happened, and a short brief on the injuries you sustained. Wait to discuss what happened in full with your personal injury lawyer.

4. Signing the First Settlement Form You’re Offered
As mentioned, insurance representatives are taught to settle the case quickly and with as little money as possible. They will use the moment of confusion right after the accident has just happened to have you sign the agreement for minimal compensation. This is one of the oldest tricks in the books to settle the case cheaply, which is why you need to keep your cool and refuse to sign anything until your lawyer is present. This is something that should be taught in school, as you should never sign anything when you’re not in the best condition to make a decision.

You need to go through the documents thoroughly with your attorney to make sure that it’s in accordance with your terms. Otherwise, you will have to take the case further.

If you’re looking for a professional attorney to help you with your personal injury case, Nagle Law Firm is your best option. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help.