Most experienced, reputed, and skilled personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, and therefore, they are always focused on the case and their goal is to win. However, in some cases, victims take actions that spoil the chances of winning or getting the compensation that they rightfully deserve. An unsuccessful case leaves both the lawyer and the victim dissatisfied.
Well, the goal is to succeed and this post, which is authored by an experienced personal injury attorney in Salt Lake City, aims to stop victims from doing things that can spoil their winning chances. Here is a list of such Don’ts:
1. Don’t Fail to Document the Accident
A victim of a car accident, unless he is very badly injured, should document/photograph the accident scene and even report the event to the police. He should obtain the names and contact information of the at-fault driver and witnesses if any. In case of a slip and fall accident, he should inform the property owner. Not documenting the accident scene is likely to cripple the compensation claim because the lawyer then has to rely on the victim’s memory.
2. Don’t Fail to Get Medical Treatment Immediately
Medical expenses represent a major part of the compensation claim. If the victim delays in getting medical treatment, the at-fault party and his insurance company can argue that the victim was not injured which is why he did not seek medical help immediately after the accident. In some cases, clients who delayed or ignored medical treatment, have had to accept a lower than rightfully due compensation claim.
3. Don’t Delay Hiring an Experienced Attorney
Experienced personal injury attorneys in Salt Lake City are busy professionals and therefore you need to hire one as soon as possible. Such attorneys document evidence, negotiate skillfully and build cases in a way that delivers a knockout punch to the defense attorneys. Moreover, most attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, i.e., you pay them only if you win the case.
Delay in hiring one can cost you your case.
4. Don’t Deal Directly with the At-fault Party’s Insurance Company
Victims that deal directly with the at-fault party’s insurance company can expect deep cuts in their compensation claim. You need a personal injury attorney to negotiate. If you give any statement, sign any authorization, or sign a release of your claims before checking with your attorney, you are committing a grave mistake that will severely dent your case.
5. Don’t Ignore the Doctor’s Advice
If you ignore your doctor’s advice about treatment, diagnostic tests, or surgery, if recommended, it imperils your case. That’s because the defense attorney can claim that your condition worsened because you did not follow your doctor’s advice then, and hence your claim is inflated.
6a. Don’t Conceal Past Claims/Accidents
Victims should be transparent and reveal to their attorneys if they have claimed compensation in the past in any case – accident, work injuries, or any other cases. If they do not reveal this key information, and if the defense attorney digs it up, the victim’s case can get compromised.
6b. Don’t Conceal Medical History
Some victims try to hide existing conditions that were aggravated due to the accident because they think that their claims will be denied. Every defense personal injury attorney in Salt Lake City subpoenas the victim’s medical documents, and by not revealing his medical history at the outset, the victim risks damaging his case and destroying his reputation with his attorney and the jury.
7. Don’t Inflate Your Claim
Deep-pocketed insurance companies of the at-fault party employ medical and financial professionals, private investigators, and actuaries who can easily see through an inflated compensation claim.
Any experienced attorney will tell you that it is a fatal mistake to exaggerate claims. Presenting a realistic claim, on the other hand, helps your case.
Finally, and this is obvious, do not ignore your attorney’s advice at any step of the case.
Would you like to know how victims have suffered when they did not heed their attorney’s advice, or when they hired an inexperienced attorney?
Meet us and we will clue you in. Here is our offer:
FREE INITIAL DISCUSSION
We encourage you to set up a free meeting with us now. Our firm is among the best personal injury attorneys in Salt Lake City – and we are among a handful of firms that have helped victims get the compensation they rightfully deserve.
During our free meeting we will help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your case, and the approximate compensation you are entitled to.
Of course, we will also equip you with a full list of Dos and Don’ts that will help you navigate easily through the legal process.
This is a free, no-obligation, no-pressure meeting, and you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
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