Being injured or sustaining property damage in a car accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence is not something anyone wants to experience. If this does happen, you want to make sure you do everything you can to receive the settlement you deserve. What many car accident victims do not realize is that there are many ways they can harm their personal injury case. Today, we want to identify several mistakes that can harm a person’s claim.
Lying
This may seem like something obvious, but lying can significantly impact your case. Providing false information on insurance applications can be used to void a personal injury claim. You should be ready for the insurance carrier of the at-fault driver to conduct surveillance on you at some point. This could include them following you, taking photos and videos of your activity, and more. If you are asked at some point about physical activity after a crash, admit to doing so because they very well may have you on video.
Using Social Media
You may be contacted by insurance adjusters, defense attorneys, and even jurors about the case. Other than your personal attorney, do not talk to anyone about your case. Refer anyone else to your attorney for comments. You need to understand that social media posts can be used against you as well. We live in an age where everything is posted to social media. Insurance adjusters and defense attorneys will investigate your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts, as well as any other social media or blog sites in your name. They will look for comments or posts about your accident for anything that will help them avoid taking full responsibility for the car accident. Even if your posts are set on private, there are still ways for them to see it. It is best to maintain a social media blackout while a personal injury case is pending. Even posting photos of you at your kid’s birthday could be used against you.
Renewing Recreational Licenses
Are you a hunter? Do you have a commercial driver’s license or a boating license? Defense attorneys can easily gain access to information from the Secretary of State, the DMV, and the Department of Natural resources. They will be able to see if you renew any recreational or professional licenses and could make a claim that you are participating in outdoor physical activities, and therefore are not injured.
Signing away your rights
Never sign anything until you speak with your Newnan car accident attorney. There may be a time when the at-fault party’s attorney or insurance carrier asks you to sign a document so you can receive a settlement. In many cases, doing so means that you give away all rights to file a personal injury claim in the future. You may also be signing a document giving these parties access to your medical information, something they could use against you in a case.
Not Following Medical Treatment
If you are injured, you need to go to the doctor and follow through with their recommended course of treatment. This means going to all appointments, physical therapy sessions, and more. If your doctor recommends further treatment or a new course of action for your injuries, do it. Not going to the doctor or refusing treatment is a sign that you are not hurt or that you do not take your accident lawsuit seriously. Save all evidence from your case, including pill bottles, copies of prescriptions, copies of treatment records, casts, braces, and more. All of this is evidence for your personal injury case.