Common Mistakes Made by Personal Injury Claimants
So you have an accident, someone else was to blame, you head online to search for personal injury lawyers near you or reach out to Babcock injury lawyers and boom; the job is done! Oh if it was really that simple… To be fair it should be but it often ends up way more complicated than it should. Unfortunately, it is often due to the claimant that things go awry, and here are some of the most common mistakes personal injury claimants make.
Not Hanging on to Crucial Evidence
You would be amazed at how many people throw things away or delete photos, thinking they aren’t needed anymore. More often than not photographs provide valuable evidence that can make or break a case. If you are worried about a photo being deleted from your cellphone get a few copies printed off or save it on your computer or laptop.
Taking the First Offer
Compensation is often buying a house. A low ball offer goes in first, it gets countered, another comes in and so on. Only take the first offer if it’s of the amount your lawyer has told you to expect. This rarely happens but you may be lucky. If your case has been a long, drawn-out affair it can be tempting to say yes to bring an end to it but a touch more patience could see you thousands of dollars richer.
Refusing to Give Access to Your Medical Records
If you have something on your medical records from your past that you don’t want anyone to know about that’s your business and yours alone. Both your lawyer and the prosecutor will need to access the records relating to your case to back up your injury claims. You can stipulate that they only have access to records from the date of the accident as that’s all they need to be interested in. Lots of people worry that things from their past, drug addiction, from example will have a bearing on their case but it has nothing to do with anyone unless you were still taking drugs at the time of the accident.
Lying to Your Lawyer
The ultimate sin in a personal injury or any other case is lying to your lawyer. How can you expect this person to do their very best for you when you won’t even tell them the truth? Whether you have stretched the truth or not with anyone else you must be upfront with your attorney. It’s a lot easier to remember your story when it’s the true one, plus your lawyer will have seen every trick in the book and will see right through you.
Failure to Record Financial Losses
Every personal injury lawyer in America just gave a collective groan at that one! You need to make note of every single cost involved with your accident. Bus fares to hospital, medical bills, new glasses, new shoes, every single item needs to be itemized. How can your lawyer get you back these costs if you are so remiss at keeping a check on them?
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