After being injured in an accident, you might start thinking about how you’re going to pay your medical bills and even your household bills if you can’t go back to work right away. Hopefully, you have some savings, but even so, you shouldn’t have to foot the bill.
Your best course of action is to file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party and recover as much compensation as possible. A skilled attorney will know exactly how to negotiate with the other parties involved to get you the compensation you deserve. However, there are many additional factors that can influence the amount of money you receive. When your goal is to get the maximum payout possible, here’s what you need to do.
1. Follow your doctor’s advice
If your doctor provides you with a treatment plan, follow it to the letter. Keep in mind that the party you’re suing is likely an insurance company, they exist for profit, and their goal is to retain as much of their revenue as possible by providing you with the least amount of compensation they can get away with paying. One way they will do this is by attempting to discredit the severity of your injuries.
If you don’t follow your doctor’s advice, it’s going to make you look like you aren’t actually hurt. If you’re asking for money to cover your treatment, but you aren’t actually getting treated, you probably won’t get much compensation.
Don’t skip medical appointments. You might be asked to go to physical therapy and feel like it’s not helping, but don’t stop going. Show up to your therapy sessions even if you don’t think you’re benefiting.
2. Never accept the first settlement offer
Since the insurance company’s game is to pay you as little as possible, every settlement offer you get will be lowballed. Never accept the first offer you’re given, and understand that there is a capacity for what the insurance adjuster is allowed to pay for your claim. You can never negotiate higher than that directly.
To maximize your compensation, you need to file a lawsuit and have a skilled personal injury attorney negotiate your claim. With the threat of a jury trial as a possibility, insurance companies are generally willing to pay more than they would otherwise. Juries are known to hand out massive awards, and that’s not good for their profits.
3. Never accept a settlement offer without talking to an attorney
An attorney can tell you if there’s a good chance your situation would yield a higher payout through a lawsuit compared to negotiating with the insurance company. The difference can be quite large, so don’t accept any offers until you speak with an attorney.
4. Keep good records
It pays to be organized, and when you’re dealing with a personal injury claim, that organization can make or break your case. Keep a record of everything, including your version of events that led up to your injury, how the injury happened, who was there, what was said, what was done, and anything else that seems relevant.
After your injury, if you heard anyone talk about the problem being reported many times before, document that and give the information to your attorney. They will conduct their own investigation into the circumstances, and might find something they can use to support your case.
5. Give your attorney all of the medical records they request
You will be required to show proof of many things, including medical diagnoses, prognoses, treatment received, X-rays, ultrasounds, and anything else related to your injuries. Your attorney can only support you if you provide them with all of your medical documentation, which includes information about pre-existing injuries. Unfortunately, awards are often reduced because of pre-existing injuries, but hiding injuries from the court can result in losing your case completely.
The bottom line? Hire an attorney
No matter how many people you see on television winning cases without an attorney, keep in mind that’s just Hollywood. In the real world, it’s nearly impossible to win a personal injury case pro se. The insurance company will shred you to pieces and you won’t be prepared.
It doesn’t matter how good you are at negotiating because you also need to understand the law and know what your case is worth. The insurance company will know you aren’t up to speed with how personal injury lawsuits work and you won’t get much, if anything. That’s why hiring an attorney is your best chance at winning the compensation you deserve.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
