When most people hire lawyers to help in their personal injury cases, they may expect that everything will turn out okay, and they don’t need to worry about their case anymore. Unfortunately, this expectation is far from reality, and any litigant can potentially sabotage their case if they say or do the wrong things. Here are five common mistakes people make that can damage their personal injury cases:
- Failing to get prompt medical attention
- Typically speaking, if you suffer a serious injury in an accident, it is expected that you will seek medical attention within 48 hours. Failing to get prompt medical attention can make your case that much harder, since it can be more difficult to prove your injuries were the result of the accident. The longer you wait to see a doctor, the harder your case will be.
- Posting about the case on social media
- Given how momentous a lawsuit can be in a person’s life, it can seem pretty tempting to post about it on social media. This can backfire tremendously, as more than one plaintiff in a personal injury case has found their own social media posts turned against them in court. As a general rule, it’s best to keep information about your case out of the public eye, which minimizes the risk of having your own words, photos, or videos turned against you.
- Failing to preserve records and communications
- Lawsuits can generate a lot of paperwork, from communications with your lawyer, to messages from insurance companies, to medical records and legal documents. It can be a lot to keep track of, and it can be easy to lose things or accidentally throw something out. If you do lose any important documents, though, it can potentially damage your case, making it harder to win in court or negotiate a favorable settlement.
- Taking the first deal offered to them
- No one likes having to deal with personal injury suits, and that includes people who handle personal injury suits for a living. Insurance companies, in particular, like to put pressure on plaintiffs to get them to take the first deal they offer. This can be a serious mistake, though, as many of these defendants and insurance companies will offer the absolute lowest settlement they can to make your case go away. Sticking it out and negotiating can potentially get you a much better deal, if you have the patience for it.
- Trying to handle everything themselves
- Some people are afraid of hiring a personal injury lawyer out of fear for what it will cost. However, given the time and stress involved in handling a personal injury lawsuit, it may cost you a lot more in the long run to try handling everything yourself. Instead, you should contact a lawyer with knowledge of personal injury law, who can help you get the compensation you deserve.
If you or a loved one have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you should seek out the personal injury lawyers at Zlotolow & Associates. Our seasoned New York personal injury attorneys bring more than two decades of trial experience to your case. We serve all five boroughs of New York City, as well as Nassau and Suffolk County. Our aggressive personal injury attorneys always demand maximum compensation. We have helped thousands of clients recover through settlements and courtroom verdicts.
