6 Mistakes People Make After an Accident and How They Can Impact a Personal Injury Claim

Accidents happen every day in the Sunshine State. When your injuries result from someone else’s negligence, mistakes, or intentional actions, a personal injury claim may deliver the compensation you need to recover. Unfortunately, in the rush to get life back to normal, many plaintiffs make mistakes that harm their cases. In this post, we’ll look at common mistakes that can weaken a personal injury claim.

Delaying Medical Care

Sometimes, the physical injuries caused by an accident are obvious and require immediate medical attention. However, many accidents result in minor injuries that the victim may ignore due to the inconvenience or cost of medical care. They may feel their condition is not that bad or is manageable with rest and over-the-counter painkillers.

However, when pursuing a personal injury claim, documentation of the injuries by a medical professional is critical. If you fail to seek immediate medical attention, it may signal to the court that your injuries are not severe. This attitude can greatly affect your case in a no-fault state like Florida. After a car accident, the court will only reward damages if your injuries exceed the serious injury threshold.

Failing to Follow Medical Advice

Similar to delaying medical care, failing to follow the advice of medical professionals can impact your case. The best practice for your case is to follow through with prescriptions or additional appointments recommended by a doctor. While it’s not unusual for victims to start feeling better a few days after the accident, this is not a reason to stop your prescribed treatments.

Failing to follow a doctor’s instructions may result in your injury getting worse. It also sends the message to the court that you’re not taking the injury seriously or are being dishonest about its extent. Following a doctor’s orders helps the judge or jury see that you’re seeking compensation as part of your recovery process.

Failing to Document Evidence

One of the jobs of a personal injury lawyer is to establish who was at fault in an accident. Accomplishing this task means gathering evidence to demonstrate the negligence or intent of the defendant. Images of the accident area may be essential to this effort, documenting the conditions that led to the injury. Sending someone to take pictures of the accident scene as soon as possible after the incident can prove invaluable. Delaying this action gives time for conditions to change. A landlord might clear a cluttered entryway or fix a broken sidewalk in the days and weeks after a slip and fall injury.

Paperwork is another valuable resource in personal injury cases. Police reports and hospital discharge instructions offer easy access to essential information. The best practice is to store digital and hard copies of these documents to prevent their accidental loss.

Waiting to File a Claim

According to Florida state law, victims have two years from the date of their injuries to make a claim based on negligence. Unfortunately, the longer you wait to file, the more difficult it will be to prove your case. After two years, witnesses may be difficult to track down, and the accident site may have radically changed. Contacting a personal injury attorney to help you file a claim after your accident is the best way to build a strong case.

Posting on Social Media

While you’re trying to prove your need for compensation, the opposing attorney’s task is to demonstrate the opposite. They want to show that your injuries are not as severe as you claim. Social media can become a goldmine for the defense if you post anything that contradicts your injury claims. Even seemingly harmless updates or photos of you engaging in everyday activities can be taken out of context to suggest that you are not as injured as you allege.

It’s crucial to refrain from discussing your case or posting about your activities on social media while your personal injury claim is ongoing. Anything you post can potentially be used against you in court. To protect your case, adjust your privacy settings and be cautious about accepting new friend requests or followers during this period.

Failing to Consult with a Personal Injury Attorney

Navigating the legal system on your own can be overwhelming. Personal injury law is complex, and insurance companies often have teams of lawyers working to minimize the amount they have to pay out. Without professional legal representation, you risk being taken advantage of by these experienced professionals.

Consulting with a personal injury team like the Loutos Law Firm ensures you have someone knowledgeable about the intricacies of the law fighting on your behalf. We can help you gather evidence, negotiate with insurance companies, and advocate for your rights in court. By securing legal representation early in the process, you significantly increase your chances of obtaining the compensation you deserve for your injuries.

If you need advice after an accident, we would be happy to talk with you and get to know your case. Loutos Law specializes in helping clients receive the compensation they need to recover from injuries caused by the neglect of others. Our team will help you avoid mistakes that can weaken your claim and provide the legal services you need to keep moving forward.

You can reach us at 772-617-0811