Following an accident, an injured person typically looks to receive compensation for their injuries and losses resulting from the accident. However, there are a number of mistakes that plaintiffs frequently make related to their personal injury claims. This article will look at common mistakes injury victims make with regard to their claims which often result in smaller or zero-dollar settlement amounts. An attorney and spokesperson from Crowson Law Group provided comments.

The attorney first stated that, “one of the most common things injured people fail to do is to seek medical treatment immediately following the accident.” He further stated that it is important to seek immediate medical treatment and the injured person should not wait longer than one week to obtain such treatment. He mentioned that the rationale behind this is so that an insurance adjuster not be able to argue that because the person couldn’t have been seriously injured, because if they had been, they would have sought medical treatment immediately. Further, he stated that if an individual is involved in a serious accident where emergency personnel recommend ambulance transport to the hospital, the individual should take it. This not only provides proof of the seriousness of the individual’s injuries, but also is evidence of the extent of the seriousness of the individual’s injuries.

Depending on the seriousness of a person’s injuries, the attorney stated that the injured person should try and get the names of as many witnesses to the accident as possible. Further, the individual should take pictures of all the vehicles that were involved in the accident and that this should be done from several different angles. Such pictures are able to tell a story as to the extent of the damage as well as how the accident occurred. If the injured person is unable to take pictures following the accident, he or she may request a friend or family member to do it for them.

The attorney stated that a key factor that any driver should never do is admit fault at the accident scene especially if they are unsure if it was their fault or not.  Furthermore, the attorney stressed the need for a person to refrain from apologizing as this might be understood as an admission of guilt. He also mentioned that “even if the accident was your fault you should not admit guilt until having spoken to your attorney”.

It was also mentioned that an injured person should never overstate their injuries. The attorney stressed the importance of being honest and truthful, as compensation is for losses that have been experienced and not that are made up. An important point to remember is to ensure that the plaintiff’s actions are consistent with his or her words. For example, if the plaintiff’s leg is hurt after the accident, he shouldn’t be out running or doing aerobics as this will show or at least give reason for others to believe that he or she was untruthful about his or her injuries.

The attorney also provided a final warning stating that, “do not let a lawyer promise you the moon; a lawyer who does not tell you about the potential downsides of your case is not a good lawyer.” If you are looking for vehicle injury lawyers, seek out a law firm of renowned professionals to provide advice and representation in your personal injury case.