Maximizing Your Personal Injury Settlement

Many factors affect personal injury settlements. Unless you learn and prepare yourself for the negotiations, chances are the other party will take advantage of you and give you a terrible offer. This leaves you struggling with piling medical expenses and lost wages, not to mention the emotional trauma that the entire process will put you under.

In this guide, we’ve covered some expert tips that’ll help you get the settlement you deserve.

Report The Incident

Report the incident that caused the injury as soon as possible. If it was an accident, call 911 and file a formal report. The report should contain all the key details regarding the incident. It should have the names of all parties involved and their contact details. It’s also good to provide details of the injuries suffered.

Witnesses’ statements and contact details should also be captured in the report.

The police report will be a crucial piece of evidence when filing your claim. It can speed up the entire process, plus it increases your chances of getting fair compensation.

Document The Evidence

The strength of your case relies on the evidence you have. For this reason, you must collect as much evidence as possible, documenting it accurately and clearly.

This starts from the scene of the accident. If you can walk, take out your phone and capture all the images of the incident. Make sure to take photos from different angles to show the entire context of the accident.

Show the damages of the vehicles involved, any property damages around the accident, the state of the road, traffic signs within the area, etc.

If there are witnesses around, talk to them and get their statements and contacts.

It’s critical to capture witness details even if they’ll share the same information with the police officer. That’s because police reports can be inaccurate or incomplete, which would hurt your claim.

Seek Medical Help Right Away

Prompt medical aid is crucial for two reasons. First, it’s good for your recovery. The earlier you start treatment, the faster you will recover. This also helps to capture and treat injuries before they escalate into severe medical complications.

Second, the medical records will play a crucial role in determining the settlement amount. In fact, the lack of these documents can deny you the compensation you deserve.

Remember, insurance companies make more profits by paying less in claims or avoiding them altogether. If you do not seek treatment right away, the insurance can claim that your injuries were never caused by the accident. They’ll therefore try to negotiate a lower settlement or fight the entire claim.

You must seek medical help immediately after the accident. If it’s a severe injury, call the ambulance while at the scene. If it isn’t, capture your evidence, call the police to file the report, and head to the ER straight away.

Follow The Treatment

Sadly, physicians may identify multiple or serious conditions that will require ongoing treatment.

To ensure everything is covered, explain the situation to your doctor and ask them to record all the symptoms and the necessary treatment. Add this report to your evidence file.

With that done, start following up on all the recommended treatments. Never skip an appointment simply because you’re feeling a little better. This is bad for your recovery, and it can also hurt your settlement.

It’s also possible that the injury may cause trauma so if your primary caregiver recommends seeing a psychologist, do so as quickly as possible.

Hire An Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

A personal injury lawyer increases your chances of getting a good settlement. They understand the law comprehensively, so they know how to build a compelling case for their clients. They can help you get a decent compensation out of court. And if the case proceeds to trial, you can rely on their expertise to deliver the best representation.

It’s important to watch the kind of lawyer you hire, though. As you can guess, an experienced attorney is in a better place to negotiate a good settlement than an inexperienced or rogue lawyer.

Moreover, you need to hire an attorney who’s versed with the regulations in your area. That’s particularly important when the case is affected by local laws. Therefore, if you live in a place like Georgia, a personal injury lawyer in Gainesville, GA, is in a better position to negotiate your settlement than an outsider. Such an attorney understands the ins and outs of local regulations. They’ll also probably know all the professionals involved in the case, which can speed up your claim.

Continue Working If Possible

If you can, continue working while the case is ongoing. This should give you the funds you need to finance your treatment while awaiting the settlement.

You should also know that juries are usually more sympathetic to victims who try to work despite the injuries suffered.

That’s how to maximize your personal injury settlement. Document all the evidence, seek medical help promptly and get in touch with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.