Sometimes traffic accidents can happen even if we’re completely aware of our actions, and confident in our driving skills. These are unfortunate events that a person can get involved in even if it’s not their fault. Whether someone else was not careful at the stop sign, or they’ve been drinking and driving, it doesn’t make much of a difference once the damage is done.
When something like this happens, and you’re able to confirm that it wasn’t your fault, you shouldn’t accept the fact that you’ll be the one paying for your damages. Thankfully, in our modern societies there are a lot of things that you can do to get justice, and that’s exactly what we’re here to talk about today.
The action you take after you know that you are liable to the personal injury claim can make a lot of difference in the amount of compensation you’ll get. You must get the best compensation so that you can use that money to get a full recovery, so let’s take a look at what you can do.
Get in contact with a personal injury lawyer
When you think that your treatment has been negligent, then your first move should be to get dialing the number of the local personal injury lawyer. A lawyer by your side will significantly affect your case results, and it’s really important to make the right choice when you’re hiring one.
You shouldn’t hold back to this investment, because, at the end of the day, the choice you make now will be the main deciding factor if you’ll be getting compensated for the injuries. We all know that medical treatments are quite expensive these days, and it’s not fair for you to spend money on medical bills because of someone else’s fault.
There are numerous ways of finding the right attorney, and the more you spend time researching, the better your choice will be at the end. A smart thing to do is to start with your local area, and look specifically for professionals who have experience with cases like yours. This will maximize your chances of success. For a good personal injury lawyer visit sinklaw.com.
Collect evidence
If you have an injury and are aware of the situation, then try to collect evidence. It can be taking pictures of the scene, photos of your injuries, the witness who saw the effects of injury and get a copy of the police report. The lawyer will help you further in solidifying your evidence. These will play a crucial role in court. One misstep here can cost you a lot.
Get treatment
The severity of your injuries are and how much money you would need can only be decided by a health-care professional. They can also be witnesses to the injuries and will document the details of your treatment plan. This will help you get the whole amount that would be required while you recover. Your responsibility here is to follow up with the treatment plan given to you by the doctors.
Claim for all damages
By “damage”, we don’t just mean what your vehicle got to experience when the tragic event took place. Damage is considered to be something that’s beyond what our eyes can see. If this was a traumatic experience for you, and you feel like you’re going to suffer some PTSD-like consequences, that’s considered damage as well. You should be asking for compensation if you think that this is your case.
Don’t be too quick to accept
Accepting the first amount of compensation that is offered to you is a bad idea. If you want the maximum, then you have to let them believe that you will go to great lengths. This can be done by rejecting a few initial offers. A lawyer can be a good consultant in this case. They will know when to start and stop bargaining. They have some of the best negotiation skills.
Explain why the offered compensation is inadequate
If you want a higher compensation than the one made to you in the initial offer, you would have to justify it. You can do this by showing the medical cost of your treatment and the evidence you have on the case. Having a lawyer by your side while you play this game would be highly beneficial.
Work on your case
Building a strong case is essential; you will need the help of your attorney to do this. Actions like requesting records, depositions, and having an expert medical professional look at your injuries will form a strong case. The more the defense attorney feels the pressure of losing the case, they better offer they’ll be making. If you don’t, then they won’t be offering you the right compensation. This is all about playing your cards right at each step.
Put off socializing a bit
“Anything you say or do can be used against you in the court of law”, is a common phrase we’ve all heard at one point in our lives. Whether we’ve heard this in a movie, or a real-life scenario, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that it’s true, and you should take it seriously.
The only thing people fail to understand here is that this also applies to social media. So, if you claim to be seriously hurt in court and your social media tells another story, then your case will go down the drain in seconds – the defense attorney isn’t playing around.
While your case is in court, avoid talking about it on social media and even to people in general. Make sure that you keep things secret and strictly between you and your lawyer.
Be polite and respectful
The jury is the one that is going to be deciding the results of the case. Hence put your best when you appear in front of them. Be patient and calm while dealing with the attorney. The impression you build in the court in front of the attorney will play a massive role in deciding how much compensation you’re liable to.
Don’t take too long to file your case
In some states, there is a deadline within which you would have to file the case; otherwise, it won’t be taken into consideration. Once you have registered your case, you can start collecting and requesting evidence that you will not be denied the right to.
If you’re unsure about the case, you can get lawyers to view on the matter, and some law firms won’t charge you for that. Law firms also have the policy of being liable to a certain percentage of the compensation amount. This means that you won’t have to pay any lawyer’s fee until the case has been successfully dealt with.
