After an accident, it can be hard to think clearly, and yet what you do in these moments is vital important. There are some common mistakes that a lot of people make after an accident, and any one of them could make it harder for you to get the compensation that you deserve. Talking with an accident lawyer in Atlanta can help you understand what to avoid as well as give you the best shot at getting everything you should in compensation.
One very common mistake is to delay getting medical treatment. This is understandable: it’s natural to hope that an injury is minor and will heal on its own or the pain will just go away after a while. You might also be afraid of the medical bills. But not only is it damaging to your health to do this, it can also be very damaging to your case.
If you delay in getting help, you leave the door open for the other side to argue that maybe those injuries and those medical bills have nothing whatsoever to do with the accident and were sustained later. Even if it’s clear that the injuries were definitely the result of an accident, if you delay, they could also argue that the delay caused the injuries to be worse than they might’ve been, and therefore they should not have to cover the entirety of your medical bills. For your own health as well as to get the best outcome after your accident, be sure to get medical help right away.
Even if the accident is minor, it’s always in your best interests to call the police and get an accident report. For one thing, you just don’t know the full extent of the damage to your vehicle or even the extent of your injuries until after you’ve had both looked into, and if things are worse than you thought, but the other driver is already gone and you can’t contact them, there won’t be much you can do. The police report will contain all the important information that you need when you go to file an injury claim, and the police will make an initial assessment of fault that the insurance company will consider carefully as they do their investigation.
You do need to report the accident to the police and to your insurance company, but you should be careful to stick to facts and make no assessments of fault. Be very careful not to accept any blame for the accident until the whole thing has been thoroughly investigated. Even if you think you might be to blame, remember that your vantage point from your car was limited, and there might’ve been other things going on that you’re not aware of.
Talk to a lawyer as soon as you can and allow your lawyer to speak with the insurance company. At the scene of the accident, be sure not to admit any fault to the other driver, and bear in mind that even saying you’re sorry could be taken the wrong way. Find a way to show empathy with the other person and what they’re going through that doesn’t involve saying that you are sorry.
There’s a lot that needs to be considered as you make a claim for personal injury. You might have extensive medical bills, and you should be reimbursed not only for what you’ve already been through, but for any ongoing expenses that are directly related to the accident. Then there are your lost wages or salary. Not only should you be reimbursed for your wages themselves, but you should also be compensated for lost bonus opportunities, lost chances to take overtime work, and anything else that you missed out on because you were hurt.
Your lawyer can also help you to evaluate your “non-economic damages.” These are commonly known as pain-and-suffering, and they are usually calculated in reference to your tangible damages. Your lawyer will make sure that you don’t miss anything and that these calculations are done correctly.
It’s almost always going to go more smoothly if you have a lawyer on your side right from the beginning. It’s very easy to make a mistake that will lower the total value of your claim or agree to signing something from the insurance company that’s not in your best interest without fully realizing that you’re signing away your right to ask for anything more.
Your lawyer will protect you from this and will help you fully understand what your claim is worth. A lawyer will also deal with the interactions with the insurance company, so you don’t have to worry about saying something that you shouldn’t. Your lawyer will negotiate for you and, if necessary, can even take your case to court.
It is common for an insurance company to make an initial offer quickly, but this offer is almost always undervalued. In some cases, there is no evil intent here: the insurance company is simply making an opening offer and expecting a round of negotiations in which you will compromise and come to a mutually acceptable conclusion. But if you don’t realize that’s what they’re doing, you might think that’s all you’re owed and not ask for anything more.
Other times, the insurance company really is being a bit sneaky. They’re hoping that you are either so desperate for money that you will sign anything, or they are hoping you don’t truly understand the value of your claim. A personal injury attorney will protect you from all of this and personally evaluate every settlement to make sure it’s in your best interest and fully accounts for what you’re owed.
It’s important to be cautious about what you say on social media, to insurance adjusters, and even to friends and family about your claim. But it’s very important that you are open with your lawyer and communicate everything as soon as you know it. If you get any documentation from the insurance company or the other driver, pass it on to your lawyer as quickly as possible. If you have questions, reach out. The better the communication between you and your attorney, the smoother the process will be.
Physical injuries are usually the focus after an accident, but the emotional and psychological impact of what you’ve endured can be just as devastating and sometimes last longer than physical injuries. If you’re dealing with posttraumatic stress, find yourself more anxious than usual, are depressed, or find that you’re struggling with daily life activities or relationships, don’t be afraid to get therapy or counseling. If you don’t know where to access it, talk to your lawyer who can recommend someone to you.
We’ve seen people make a lot of mistakes, and we can help you avoid them in your claim. Reach out to us today at T. Madden & Associates, P.C. in Atlanta for help. We also serve most cities and counties in Georgia.
T. Madden & Associates, P.C has an answer for all of your legal questions! We are a Personal Injury firm, so we handle many types of injury cases from auto collisions to wrongful death! If you or someone you know is injured, T. Madden & Associates, P.C. can help.
We are proud to offer free case reviews to anyone who may have questions before getting started. Additionally, if we do take on your case, we promise we won’t charge you a penny unless we recover compensation for your claim.
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