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Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself!

Posted on December 21st, 2009 by The Firm

Been in a car accident?  Check out these 7 deadly sins that can wreck your case.

1.  Failing to call the police - Don’t ever assume that it will later be obvious what happened.  Call the police and tell your story.

2.  Providing a recorded statement to an insurance adjuster - Whether it is your company or the other driver’s, don’t speak to the adjuster without first talking to an attorney.  Despite what the commercials say, the insurance company is not on your side – you are not in good hands.

3.  Failing to see your doctor after a traumatic event - You may not think you are hurt but you are not a doctor.  If for, whatever reason, you didn’t go to the hospital from the scene be sure to follow-up with your primary care physician as soon as possible.  Insurance adjusters, and more importantly, jurors, notice when you take too long to make that appointment.  They will say, he couldn’t have been that hurt, he didn’t see a doctor for a month!

4.  Failing to be honest with your doctor - If something hurts, tell your doctor.  If it doesn’t hurt, please don’t say it does.  This is a common theme you will hear from us – be honest.  If you are honest, you have nothing to be nervous about.  Don’t conceal prior injuries.  Don’t assume that your minor pain is no big deal.  Let the doctor do his job.

5.  Talking to your doctor about a potential lawsuit - If you walk into your appointment asking if you will get money for your injury, your doctor isn’t going to trust you and neither will the jury.  Keep your lawsuit and your medical treatment separate.  Most doctors do not want to be involved in a lawsuit.  If you seem focused on your case, it may compromise your medical treatment.  Your first priority should be your health.

6.  Missing or showing up late for medical appointments - If you don’t care about your health, why should the insurance adjuster?  Better yet, why should the jury?  Missed appointments are indeed something the jury will hear about.  Just don’t do it.

7.  Failing to be honest with your attorney - We are here to help you.  If you aren’t honest with us, we cannot help you.  The insurance company will pay large sums of money to prove you aren’t hurt.  If you say you can’t move, they will try to videotape you mowing the lawn.  We need to always be updated on your health status so that we can properly represent you.  Finding out at trial that you aren’t as hurt as you said you were is too late.  Likewise, if you have a skeleton in your past that could affect the case, it is better to be up-front with us.

To learn more about Personal Injury, contact Bob Rowland.