Many Americans spend time behind the wheel of a car each day. Most take their ability to navigate public roadways safely for granted, but the risk of being involved in a serious auto accident exists each time you pull out of your driveway.
Experts estimate that some 3 million Americans are injured in auto accidents each year. Many of these injuries are serious enough to warrant medical attention. If you have been injured in a car crash, you may want to file a personal injury lawsuit to help access the financial resources needed to pay for your medical treatment.
The help of a car accident lawyer will be invaluable in maximizing your odds of winning your personal injury case, but you must do your part to contribute to the successful outcome of your case as well. Avoid these three major mistakes that could seriously derail your auto accident injury case.
1. Ignore Medical Advice
One of the most important things that you can do when preparing for a personal injury lawsuit after an auto accident is to follow the advice of any medical professionals who treat your injuries. Failing to follow the advice of doctors, therapists, and other medical professionals could jeopardize your ability to access any financial help.
Opposing counsel could make the argument that your injuries are not as severe as you claim they are because you didn't take your treatment plan seriously.
Be sure that you take all prescribed medications, use any medical assistive devices, and attend all follow-up appointments if you want to maximize your ability to present a successful personal injury case.
2. Use Social Media
Most personal injury attorneys will advise their clients to avoid social media until their auto accident injury case has been resolved. There is a good reason for this warning — the opposing counsel can utilize social media as a weapon against you in court.
You can count on the fact that opposing counsel will take a thorough inventory of any and all information posted to your social media accounts while preparing for court. The goal is to uncover information that might create discrepancies in your case.
A simple photograph of you attending a sporting event or a post saying you feel great can be presented as evidence against you. It's best to avoid social media use altogether to ensure you don't unknowingly post information that might derail your auto accident injury case.
3. Discuss Your Case
You must exercise caution when revealing any details about your auto accident injury case. Your attorney will likely advise you not to discuss your case with anyone outside their firm.
You will have insurance adjusters and other professionals trying to contact you following any serious auto accident. You should never talk about your accident or your lawsuit with these individuals. Instead, refer them to your attorney.
Your attorney understands the type of information an insurance adjuster can legally ask for, and he or she will not inadvertently reveal any information that might damage your case. Any communication that takes place in relation to your accident should be handled by your attorney's office.
You will also want to avoid discussing any details of your accident or your personal injury case with friends and family members. Opposing counsel may call these individuals to serve as witnesses in court, and you don't want to put anyone you love in the position of having to repeat damaging information you may have shared with them after your accident.
You will have plenty of time to discuss the details of your auto accident, injuries, and lawsuit once the case has been resolved.
Share