What Mistakes Should You Avoid After a Personal Injury?

If you’ve been injured by someone else’s negligence, you have the right to bring a claim against them for your losses and damages. Unfortunately, there are some mistakes that victims sometimes make that can compromise their ability to get everything they’re owed. Talk to experienced San Marcos personal injury trial attorneys as soon as possible to ensure you don’t make any of these mistakes and miss out.

Not Getting Medical Help Immediately

Medical care is expensive, and sometimes people are reluctant to get the care they need because they worry about that expense. In addition, some people don’t get help after an accident because they “feel fine” due to adrenaline, or they think that they should be able to “tough it out.”

It’s a mistake not to get medical help right away after an injury. Not only might the injury get worse and your health be compromised, but the longer you wait to get treatment, the easier you make it for the other side and their insurance company to claim that you weren’t hurt in the accident at all or that your injuries are not all that serious.

Not Following Through on Medical Advice

Closely related to the first mistake is the mistake of not actually following through on your doctor’s orders. If a doctor tells you not to engage in certain activities, it’s very important that you follow those instructions. If the responsible party and their insurance company discover that you’re not following medical advice, then they may claim that you aren’t doing everything possible to mitigate your own injuries or are making things worse.

Saying Too Much

After an accident, it’s best not to talk too much. Don’t discuss the accident with the other party other than to exchange information. Above all, never apologize or say anything else that could be construed as you taking blame. You will need to inform the insurance company of the basics of what happened, but stick to the facts and make no guesses about why anything happened or speculation about fault. If the insurance company calls you back or keeps asking for a statement or clarification, refer them to your lawyer.

Be sure not to talk about your case online or with friends and family, either. The insurance company may be scouring your social media looking for anything they can use to minimize your losses.

Not Consulting With Personal Injury Attorneys

While it is technically possible to bring a personal injury claim without a lawyer, studies show that those who bring such claims with legal help walk away with more, on average, than those who don’t, even after the legal fees are considered. A lawyer will protect you from the insurance company, make sure that you properly calculate all your losses, negotiate for you aggressively, and even take your case to court if that’s necessary.

For experienced help after your personal injury, reach out to Shaw Cowart Attorneys at Law LLP in Austin, TX for help in San Marcos and across the state.

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