Don't Sabotage Your Personal Injury Claim With These 3 Mistakes

Getting a financial settlement as result of a personal injury claim may seem like a straightforward process. However, if you have never sought a claim before, it is easy to make mistakes that could sabotage your case. Here are some things to avoid doing if you want to be successful with your claim.

Discussing Your Case without Your Lawyer Present

If you get a call from the insurance company, you may think nothing of answering questions about your claim. However, it can be a mistake to talk to the insurance company without your lawyer present for a number of reasons.

For one thing, when you discuss your claim without your lawyer, you may be inclined to take an offer from the insurance company that is too low. It is also possible that insurance company may use your words against you; having an attorney present or on the line when talking about your claim can ensure that you don't share anything that could sabotage your claim.

Not Following the Orders of Your Physician

Although you might have seen your doctor after you were injured, you may have decided not to follow the treatment they laid out for you. For example, they may have told you to stay home from work for a while, but you decided to go to work because you could not afford to miss multiple days at your job. This can be a problem, because the insurance company may try to claim that your injuries were not as bad as you say they were, and refuse to offer you a settlement.

Therefore, if you have a good reason for not listening to your doctor, ensure you can prove why you did not. For example, you may have religious restrictions that do not allow certain treatments. Be sure to tell your attorney about such a situation and talk to your doctor about whether there are other treatments you may be eligible for.

Sharing Information on Social Media Sites

Sharing things on social media sites may be something that you're used to doing everyday, but it is important that you avoid talking about your insurance claim. Insurance adjusters hire investigators who may look up your social media profiles to see what you are posting in an effort to build a case against you. To avoid this, make sure your profile settings are set to private; this way, only those you approve can see what you are talking about.

Now that you know what kind of behavior you should be avoiding when seeking a settlement for your personal injury claim, be sure to use the information above to make sure you are not sabotaging your own case. Work closely with your attorney (like those at Randall A. Wolff & Associates, Ltd) to ensure you are doing everything necessary to get a fair settlement.