When you suffer an injury due to an accident, seeking compensation through a personal injury claim helps you deal with the accident’s aftermath. Although it does not return the quality of life you enjoyed before the accident, it helps you manage medical expenses and other related damages due to the accident.

Dealing with a personal injury claim can be overwhelming, especially if you have never been in such a situation before. Many first-time personal injury clients often find themselves making mistakes they could have avoided if they were better informed. The personal injury attorneys of the Scura personal injury law firm want to inform you of these mistakes to avoid when dealing with a personal injury claim.

Assuming you can deal with it directly without an attorney

In most cases, an insurance company will try to persuade you to accept their settlement offer claiming that personal injury attorneys complicate things for nothing. It is easy to fall for it, especially when someone convinces you that the settlement is heftier without all the legal fees involved. But the worst mistake you can make is falling for such a trap. You can accept the offer, but later on, you realize that the medical expenses are far more than you imagined and you can’t go back because you signed the settlement.

Moreover, the insurance companies have retainer lawyers who put up pretty solid fights against personal injury lawyers, so you can imagine what they would do to a non-lawyer. Working with a personal injury lawyer is the only way to ensure your rights are fully protected and you get fair compensation.

Settling your claim too soon

Settling your claim too soon can sometimes be detrimental. If it is possible to settle the claim once you have fully recovered physically and psychologically, the better. If not, ensure you work with an experienced personal injury attorney who will bring in an experienced medical professional to assess the medical expenses that are likely to go into the future. Some injuries take some time to heal and some are complex while others are permanent. For instance, your injuries may continue beyond what the expert predicted and you may have settled your claim for less than what it is worth.

Not keeping a record of the financial losses incurred due to the accident

Whenever you incur costs due to your accident, be it your family or friends, write it down or send it to your lawyer. Ensure you preserve receipts, including the small things that add up to your financial losses. From there, your personal injury lawyer can advise you on what to claim.

Not informing the medical expert of all the symptoms

Remember that medical reports in personal injury claims play a crucial role. When your personal injury lawyer sends you to a medical expert, ensure you inform them of all your symptoms to be fully compensated. Do not be embarrassed to talk about your suffering due to an accident.

Not informing your lawyer of the emotional effects of the accident

The psychological or emotional side effect of an accident can be the worst part of it. For instance, loss of consortium, forgetfulness, drinking more, nightmares, being more reserved, etc. It is essential to inform your personal injury lawyer about your mental symptoms so that they can fully calculate the value of your claim.

The takeaway

Consulting with a personal injury lawyer can help you avoid the above mistakes when dealing with a personal injury claim.