Personal injury claims can seem easy to handle ourselves. However, there are quite a few mistakes people make along the way. Such as, not seeking medical treatment, settling too soon or for too little, and not hiring an experienced personal injury attorney. The whole idea of a personal injury claim is that someone has been injured and compensation is needed to help assist with their injuries. The process of a personal injury claim is that you are seeking the medical attention you need to recover from such injury. One mistake we see often with friends, relatives, and strangers is that they refuse medical attention. The more popular reasons people give for not seeking or wanting medical treatment is as follows: (1) no medical insurance, (2) they can live with the pain, and (3) just unwilling to accept treatment. In a personal injury case, you have to provide the list of your injuries to the insurance company and disclose the severity of the pain and injury to even be considered for compensation.
Medical treatment provides an outline of your pain and suffering that you are requesting compensation for. So it is highly recommended you seek the attention you need before it is too late. Personal injury claims take time, and another mistake people make is settling too soon or for too little. You cannot rush the process. All t’s need to be crossed and all i’s dotted. You really are only ready to negotiate and settle when all your medical treatment is completed. Which leads us back to the importance of seeking medical treatment. You do not truly know the extent of your injuries until you seek professional medical attention. Settling too soon also could mean less compensation. If you settle too soon and have future complications the burden is on you to cover those future medical expenses. It is not a guarantee that compensation would be more or less depending on how soon or late you settle, but it is in your best interest that you have done all that is necessary to make sure you have recovered the most from your injuries. Last mistake that people make in personal injury claims is not hiring an experienced personal injury attorney. A lot of times people think personal injury claims are easy, but unless you know your tort law I suggest you hire an attorney. A personal injury attorney will look out for your best interest, make sure you seek medical treatment, and negotiate a reasonable settlement amount. The whole process of a personal injury attorney is making sure you are covered for all your medical bills, out of pocket expenses, days missed from work, and any future complications from your injuries. Did I mention that attorneys have exceptional negotiation skills. This tool comes in handy when it's time to settle and the personal injury attorney will likely not settle for the first amount offered. Which leads us back to the mistake of settling for too little. It happens too often and that is why a lot of insurance companies may take advantage of those who are not represented. If you or someone you know has been injured please be informed and DO NOT make the above mentioned mistakes!
WRITTEN BY: Cierra Carter, Legal Assistant