Personal injury cases are full of pitfalls, all of which may make your claim less valuable or unsuccessful altogether. Therefore, you should take care to avoid some of the most common mistakes that injured parties make when they are seeking compensation for their injuries through a personal injury claim.
First, avoid talking too much about any aspect of the accident that led to your injuries or your personal injury claim in general. Your behavior will be under a microscope by the other party’s insurance company, so any missteps can seriously compromise your claim. Therefore, do not admit any degree of guilt for the accident to police officers, other parties involved in the accident, witnesses to the accident, or insurance adjusters. In fact, you generally should say as little as possible about the accident at all, especially on social media. The opposing party, his or her insurance company, and the insurance company’s attorney all are likely to look through your social media accounts to look for information that may lower the value of your claim. The only person with whom you should discuss the details of the accident and your injuries is your attorney.
Next, make sure that you see a doctor as quickly as possible following the crash. Many accident victims make the mistake of delaying their trip to the doctor because they simply don’t believe that they are injured. However, not all symptoms and injuries show up right away. You also need to start documenting any injuries that you do have as quickly as possible so that you can gather more evidence in support of your claim. Medical evidence is very powerful and is necessary to support the value of injuries for which you are seeking compensation.
Finally, don’t be tempted to simply accept the first settlement offer that you receive from the insurance company. When you have medical bills piling up and losing income due to being off work, it can seem like a good move to accept whatever offer the insurance company makes to you. Insurance claims adjusters are trained to negotiate claims for the lowest settlement value possible. This means that the first offer you receive is most likely the lowest offer that you receive. Do not accept any offer without first consulting with an experienced personal injury attorney who can place the appropriate value on your claim and evaluate the offer that you have received.
As this post illustrates, personal injury claims can be very complex and have strict requirements and deadlines that a claimant must meet in order to maintain a successful claim. Boller & Vaughan are Wisconsin motor vehicle accident lawyers who dedicate their practice to protecting the interests of the injured and their families. Call our office today to set up your free consultation and learn what options are available to you.
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We live in Friendship, Wisconsin, and Boller & Vaughan came to our doorstep to discuss our mother’s wrongful death claim on a Saturday morning. Not only were we pleased with the large recovery, we were so thankful to have lawyers who were willing to explain to us every twist and turn along the way. It is great to know there is a law firm that will fight for the rights of elderly people all over Wisconsin.
Mr. Boller and Ms. Vaughan were incredible in working on my case and my daughter’s case. I was out of work and in the hospital with a new baby. Mr. Boller and Ms. Vaughan protected our rights and it was a pleasure to work with them. I hope never to be in another motor vehicle accident, however, if I am and I am injured, I will contact Boller & Vaughan immediately.
I was referred to Michelle through a friend. I have never had a better experience. It took a little over a year to get my settlement but the staff there stayed in constant contact and kept me in the loop. Oh, and Michelle actually got me MORE money than we discussed. I will refer anyone to this firm. Words cannot do justice the thanks that I have for Michelle and her staff (Mary especially) thank you guys so much!
After my husband died as a result of a motor vehicle accident, Boller & Vaughan spent countless hours talking with me, meeting with me in person, and making sure that I was okay. The drunk driver who hit us did not have any insurance, and we had to make a claim through our own insurance. Boller & Vaughan was fantastic at explaining the law to me and the handling of our claims.
After my son was injured in a daycare setting, Ms. Vaughan took the time to thoroughly investigate our case and my son’s injuries. Michele was approachable and had answers to our questions. Talking with her helped to relieve many of our anxieties.