Do's and Don't's for Personal Injury Victims

When someone else hurts you, you may have a right to file a personal injury claim. However, there are a number of legal steps involved in filing such a claim and recovering your damages. So, as a personal injury victim, what can you do to protect your claim and your rights?

What to Do After a Personal Injury

Do collect all necessary information and evidence.

Collect the names, contact numbers, home addresses, and email addresses of those who have witnessed the incident. Take photographs of the scene. Takes as many as you can from varied directions and angles. Do not take panoramic views of the scene but instead, take up-close photographs of the skid marks, car wreckage, debris, intersection and street signs, and landmarks. Keep all documents and correspondence as well. Examples of such documents include medical bills, medical records or notes from doctors, letters from your insurance company, email messages from witnesses, and police reports.

Don't share information with parties other than your lawyer and insurance company.

After the accident, an investigator or representative of the at-fault party’s insurance company will contact you. He may claim that he is simply collecting information about the accident or the accident claim for evaluation. Do not provide him with anything. Keep in mind that you are not required to supply him with any kind of information, whether oral or written. If you are approached or contacted by an investigator just let him know that you he should speak with your attorney for anything he needs.

Do Cooperate with your own insurer.

You will have to talk to your insurance company about the incident. Tell your insurance company about all the facts that took place. Always be truthful. This will not only save you time and effort but your cooperation will help contribute to the validation of your coverage.

Don't sign anything without first consulting with your attorney.

Insurance companies may attempt to have you sign waivers or releases after the incident without even explaining what the document is or what its effects are. To prevent yourself from being manipulated, never sign anything regarding the incident without first showing it to your attorney. Your attorney will be responsible for reviewing it and explaining to you what it means.

Getting Help

The most important thing you need to do after suffering a personal injury is to hire an experienced personal injury attorney. A qualified personal injury attorney will be experienced in personal injury law and can effectively deal with insurance companies and insurance adjusters. Your attorney can often help you settle your accident claims for much higher that what you would have obtained if you handled the case independently.

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