
Being involved in an accident, either in the workplace or while using the road is not a pleasant experience to relieve every day of your life. Getting scared from the accident or sustaining injuries that make you disabled will negatively affect your mental health too.
Having access to the best medical treatment for rehabilitation after getting involved in an accident is crucial, the same way getting compensated for the injuries sustained is pertinent. But, many accident survivors cannot get compensation for their injuries from their insurer or that of the at-fault party because of avoidable mistakes they made after the accident occurred.
This article shares some of the biggest mistakes you can make when dealing with personal injury and how to avoid them at all costs.
Long Waiting Period Before Seeking Medical Help
After all, we are all humans and we react differently when faced with difficulties but that does not mean we should neglect our well-being after surviving an accident. Many accident victims are culpable of leaving the accident scene without getting checked out by medical personnel to confirm if they are doing well or have underlying health issues because of the incident.
Some accident victims vehemently refuse to get checked out at the hospital after the EMT recommends it on the scene. But eventually, go to the hospital after a few days when they notice health-related symptoms. Many people have had to deal with permanent scars or health issues because of this negligence.
Also, you need to seek medical attention immediately after an accident occurs, doing it a few days later could be used against you by an insurer when you file for an accident compensation claim and misconstrued that the injuries highlighted in your Claim Notification Form (CNF) are not related to the accident.
Not Hiring An Experienced Lawyer
It is recommended by the personal injury law firm in Sevierville that if injuries that you suffered during an accident result from negligence by another individual or entity, it may entitle you to recover monetary damages. However, being able to access this monetary compensation involves some procedural and legal back and forth with the insurance companies which is why you need to hire an experienced lawyer that understands personal injury laws to help you navigate the process.
Insurance companies have the habit of shortchanging personal injury victims and denying liability for an accident. If you do not want to end up as another statistic of people refused compensation claims because of technicalities or lack of representation, then you need an experienced lawyer in your corner.
When you hire a personal injury attorney, they ease your burden by ensuring that the accident is investigated, have access to medical treatment without worrying about the bills, file for damages that are within reasonable legal bounds for accident victims, and help you negotiate the best compensation with the insurance company. Also, an experienced lawyer knows what to request as compensation for damages that will make the insurance company want to settle.
Failure To Report The Accident To Appropriate Authorities
In the event of car accidents, truck accidents, or premises liability, you need to notify relevant authorities of the incident as it will be beneficial to your health and claim for damages at a later date. For instance, when you are involved in a workplace accident, notify your supervisor immediately the accident occurs, if your injuries are critical, notify your superiors between 24 to 48 hours after you have received medical attention and stabilized.
When you are involved in a road accident involving over one injured party, it is important to call the emergency line and request for the police to be at the scene. Having police at the scene ensures that the accident is duly investigated by the law enforcement officers to determine the at-fault party of the accident and obligated to file a report of their findings from the accident. As a personal injury claimant, it is compulsory to add a police report to the CNF submitted to the insurer.
Also, another appropriate authority to inform after a personal injury accident is your insurance company or that of the at-fault party. Some insurers have statutes of limitation on when you should report an accident or file a personal injury claim, failure to meet this deadline could affect your compensation.
The mistakes highlighted above are some of the most logical ones that can help you lose your claim for personal injury compensation with insurance companies, so it will be in your best interest to take them seriously.