After an accident, your primary focus is to recover and get on with your life. But what you do or don’t do in the hours, days, weeks and months after your accident can make or break your personal injury case.
It’s crucial to avoid the following mistakes that can weaken or ruin a personal injury case.
Delaying medical treatment
One of the biggest mistakes people make is not seeking medical treatment immediately following their accident. It’s easy to put it off, especially if you’re not in much pain. The adrenaline released by your body is likely masking that pain, and you could be more severely injured than you realize. Furthermore, symptoms from conditions such as traumatic brain injuries may not appear until several hours or days later.
In addition, when there’s a delay in treatment, insurance companies will argue that your injuries weren’t serious or weren’t caused by the accident. Seeing a doctor right away not only protects your health, but it also creates a record linking your injuries to the accident.
Not following medical advice
Starting a treatment but not sticking to it is almost as bad as not seeking treatment at all. Missed appointments, ignoring restrictions or stopping care early gives the insurance companies cause to claim that you’ve recovered from your injury or that they weren’t that severe to begin with.
Consistent treatment shows that your injuries are real and you are doing everything medically possible for a full recovery. It’s also documentation that shows how long it’s taking you to recover and can help show the impact it has on your life.
Posting on social media
You may want to reassure your friends and family that you are doing well after your accident by regularly updating them on social media. What many people don’t realize is that insurance companies may be able to look at these posts.
A photo from a family event or a comment about how you’re having a good day and feeling better can be taken out of context to suggest you’re not really injured. Even seemingly innocent posts can cause problems, so it’s best to stay off social media until your case is resolved.
Personal injury claims are as much about protecting your credibility as they are about your accident. Your injuries must be taken seriously. Avoiding common mistakes can go a long way toward ensuring a fair outcome and compensation.
