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Top 10 Mistakes Made When Filing a Personal Injury Claim

Failure to Seek Medical Attention

If you've been in a car accident, one of the most important things you can do is seek medical attention. Even if you don't think you're injured, it's important to get checked out by a medical professional.

There are two main reasons why failing to seek medical attention can hurt your case. First, if you wait to seek medical treatment, it will be harder for your attorney to prove that your injuries were caused by accident. Second, insurance companies will often try to use your failure to seek medical treatment as evidence that your injuries are not as serious as you claim.

Failure to Document Your Accident

It’s essential to gather everything you could possibly need to determine who was at fault and how the accident occurred. Sadly enough, people change their stories quite often after leaving the scene of an accident, and it could lead to many repercussions down the road. Therefore, make sure to get the other person’s information, take photos, take videos, and, if possible, get a police officer to come out to the scene of the accident and investigate it and complete a traffic collision report.

There is no way to tell what cases will have to go all the way to court, which could take years, and by then, the evidence or witnesses could be long gone. So preserving it now and run the risk of not having it later.

Failure to Disclose Previous Accidents

If you've been in a previous accident, it's important to disclose this to your attorney. Your attorney will need to know about any previous accidents so that they can properly evaluate your case.

Failing to disclose previous accidents can hurt your case in two ways. First, if you fail to disclose a previous accident, your attorney may not be able to properly evaluate your case. Second, insurance companies will often try to use your failure to disclose a previous accident as evidence that you are not being truthful about your injuries.

Failure to Call the Police

If you've been in a car accident, it's important to call the police. The police will create a written report of the accident, which can be used as evidence in your case. If you do not have written documentation of the accident, your case will be weak, and you won't receive the compensation you need.

Waiting Too Long to File

t's important to file your case as soon as possible. If you wait too long, the statute of limitations will expire, and you will not be able to receive compensation for your injuries.

The statute of limitations is the time period during which you can file a lawsuit. In California, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years. This means that you have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit.

Settling Without Negotiating

If you've been in a car accident, you may be tempted to settle your case without hiring an attorney. Settling your case without hiring an attorney is a bad idea for several reasons.

First, if you settle your case without hiring an attorney, you will not have someone on your side who is experienced in negotiating with insurance companies. Second, if you settle your case without hiring an attorney, the insurance company will take advantage of you, and you will not receive the full value of your case.

Failure to Ask Important Questions

If you've been in a car accident, it's important to ask your attorney important questions. Asking your attorney crucial questions will help you understand your case and will also help you make sure that you are getting the full value of your case.

Some of the most important questions you should ask your attorney include:

  • What is the statute of limitations for my case?
  • What are my chances of winning my case?
  • How much is my case worth?
  • Should I settle my case or go to trial?

Asking your attorney these important questions will help you understand your case and will also help you make sure that you are getting the full value of your case.

Posting to Social Media

It's important not to post about the accident on social media. Insurance companies will often try to use anything you post on social media against you. For example, if you post about your injuries on social media, the insurance company will try to use this as evidence that your injuries are not as serious as you claim.

It's also important not to post about the accident on social media because it can give the insurance company an idea of what happened. If you post about the accident on social media, the insurance company will often try to use this against you.

Speaking With Insurance Representatives Without Legal Guidance

Speak with an attorney before speaking with insurance representatives. Speaking with insurance representatives without legal guidance can diminish your chances of receiving compensation.

Insurance representatives are trained to minimize the amount of money that they have to pay out on claims. As such, if you speak with an insurance representative without legal guidance, you may not receive the full value of your case.

It's essential to have an attorney on your side who is experienced in negotiating with insurance companies. An experienced attorney will know how to handle insurance representatives and will be able to get you the full value of your case.

Not Hiring an Attorney

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when filing a personal injury claim is not hiring an attorney. Many people think they can save money by handling their own cases, but this is often not the case. An experienced personal injury attorney will know how to negotiate with insurance companies and get you the maximum compensation you deserve.

Injured in a Car Accident?

If you've been injured in a car accident, it's important to hire an experienced personal injury attorney. The Del Rio & Caraway, P.C. team has the skill and resources to negotiate with insurance companies to help you receive the full value of your case. Contact us today for a free consultation at (916) 229-6755.

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