3 common Mistakes Personal Injury Clients Make

Getting injured in an accident is painful and time-consuming. In addition to going to multiple doctor’s appointments and missing hours from work, an accident can be very emotionally upsetting.

It is easy to get depressed and angry when you are hurt. You may be anxious to get everything over with. However, when you rush the process of an insurance claim, you may end up getting less money than you deserve. There are several typical mistakes insurance injury claimants make that may stop them from getting all the money that they deserve.

Not Collecting Evidence

When you have an accident, you should pull over to safety and find out if anyone is injured. If there are any injuries at all or any damage to your car, you should call the police and wait for them to arrive.

You should get the names of any witnesses on the scene. You should also try to take pictures if you can. You will want to exchange insurance information with the other driver and ask for a copy of the accident report.

If an ambulance is called to the scene, you should let the EMTs examine you and take you to the hospital if they feel it is necessary. Even if no ambulance is needed at the scene and you feel just fine, you should go to see a doctor after a crash. There are some injuries that may not be immediately apparent.

Social Media Mistakes

Even if you think you have your Facebook and Twitter privacy settings programmed perfectly, everything you put on social media may conceivably go public. If you post certain information about your car accident online, an adjuster may use it to deny your claim.

Investigators will use social media to find evidence to disprove your claim. If they see a picture of you riding a bike after your injury, and you have told them that you are not mobile, they may use it against you. It is best not to post anything about your personal life when you are in the middle of an insurance claim. Set your accounts to private, and do not let anyone post on your wall.

Accepting an Insurance Companies First Offer

When you file an insurance claim, you will be asked to send in all of the evidence that you have so that an adjuster can evaluate your claim. Once you provide them with this information, they will investigate. The insurance company will deny your claim or approve of it. If they approve of it, they will make you a settlement offer. Before you accept a denial or settlement, you should talk to an attorney.

According to personal injury lawyer Greg Kirakosian, an attorney can tell you if the settlement is fair. They can also tell you if it is worth it to sue if your claim has been denied. A professional attorney will be able to negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. They will have more experience with insurance law than you will, and they will know what arguments to use.

An insurance company will almost never give you the settlement that you deserve. Hiring a qualified personal injury attorney can be a wise step on the road to recovery.