Injured in a Car Accident: 3 Common Mistakes That You Must Avoid

If you were recently injured in an auto accident, you may not be ready to begin the process of pursuing a personal injury claim quite yet. Understandably, you may need some time to recover physically from your injuries before you can begin the process of recovering financially. However, if you are not careful, you could find that the actions you take now will negatively impact your ability to collect compensation later. Below you will learn more about some of the common mistakes that auto accident victims make that can negatively impact their personal injury case. Taking the time to review this information can help to prevent you from making these same mistakes in your case.

Mistake #1: Not Seeking Immediate Medical Attention

While the statute of limitations attached to your personal injury case may provide you with several months or longer to officially file your claim with the court, you will not have this long to seek initial medical attention for your injuries. If you fail to seek medical care within a short period of time after your accident, you may be prohibited from seeking compensation for these injuries as part of a personal injury lawsuit. This is because the more time that goes by before you receive medical attention, the more difficult it will be to prove that your injuries are in fact a result of the accident. Therefore, the law strictly limits how long you have to see a doctor in regards to accident related injures.

Mistake #2: Making Statements Regarding Liability

Far too many accident victims make statements regarding liability without even realizing it. For instance, they may feel as though they are at fault when the accident occurs and so they apologize to the other driver. Once all the facts are discovered, they may not be to blame for the accident; however, their admission of liability can still be used against them. This is why you should never make any statements to the other driver or the other driver's insurance company before discussing your case with an auto accident attorney.

Mistake #3: Waiting to Consult an Auto Accident Attorney

While you may think that you have until the statute of limitations in your case is about to expire before you truly need to consult an auto accident attorney, the truth is, waiting until the last minute to seek legal counsel could result in an inability to effectively file your claim in time. This is because most personal injury lawsuits are not directly filed with the court right away. Instead, these cases are pursued outside of the courtroom in hopes of reaching a settlement. These cases will only make it to the courts if a settlement cannot be reached. By waiting until the last minute to consult an auto accident attorney, you will be completely eliminating their opportunity to try and settle the case before filing an official claim. Talk to an attorney like Fonvielle, Lewis, Foote & Messer for more information.


Share