If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you could be eligible to seek compensation from them through a personal injury claim or lawsuit. You can help your case significantly by taking the proper steps in the aftermath of an injury accident. One of the most important things you can do is to avoid these crucial mistakes that people often make when filing a personal injury claim:
- Delaying or avoiding medical treatment – Your priority after an injury accident should be seeking prompt medical attention. Follow your doctor’s care plan and attend all follow-up appointments. If your injuries worsen and you need additional treatment later, you’ll have verifiable medical proof that it’s not because you neglected your health.
- Neglecting to call the police or file a report – Under Wyoming law, you must report any car accident resulting in property damage, injury, or death to your local police. If a police officer responded to the accident scene, they should have prepared a crash report on your behalf, which would satisfy your legal obligation to report.
- Withholding information from lawyers or doctors – Withholding information from your doctor or your lawyer could have disastrous consequences for your health and injury claim. Your physician needs to know everything about your medical history to provide effective care after an injury. Similarly, your attorney needs to know everything about your involvement in the accident to prepare a compelling case.
- Exaggerating injuries or other damages – It may be tempting to play up your symptoms a tad to increase your settlement value or bolster your claim. But be warned, this could be a dire mistake.
- Delaying the return to work without justification – Many Americans return to work far sooner than they should after serious injuries simply because they need the money. However, some injury victims take the opposite tack by staying home as long as possible. If your doctor has recommended staying home, you should heed their advice. But if you miss work longer than needed, you’ll have difficulty claiming money for the unnecessary time off.
- Failing to keep evidence or documentation organized – Keep all documentation and evidence related to the incident in a single, organized location. That includes medical records and bills related to your injuries, photos of the accident scene, and contact details for witnesses and vehicle occupants. It’s also a good idea to keep a detailed daily journal, which can help create a clear timeline and paper trail for your recovery.
- Posting on social media before your claim is settled – Social media can be a great way to connect and unwind, especially if you’re too hurt to travel, work, or visit others. But remember that anything you post on social media can be used as evidence against you. An innocent comment, photo, or check-in could be twisted into proof that you are not suffering as much as you claim. To be safe, it’s best to avoid posting or sharing anything publicly and ask friends to refrain from tagging you in their posts.
Contact Olson Personal Injury Lawyers Today for a Free Consultation About Your Personal Injury Case
Perhaps the biggest mistake you could make in any personal injury case is failing to hire an experienced injury attorney to represent you. At Olson Personal Injury Lawyers, our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys are committed to helping people injured in Wyoming seek the justice and fair compensation they deserve.
Don’t hesitate to contact us now for a free consultation.
