FIVE SECRETS TO INCREASE THE VALUE OF YOUR ACCIDENT & INJURY CASE
by
Jeffrey Todd Jones on Apr. 18, 2016
Accident & Injury Car Accident Accident & Injury Slip & Fall Accident Accident & Injury Personal Injury
Summary: What You Should Know About Obtaining Compensation for Your Injuries
Whether you’ve been injured in a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, a slip and fall, or any other accident that was not your fault, here are five things you need to do to help you get a fair and just settlement for your injuries:
CHOOSE THE RIGHT DOCTOR: A doctor who has a good reputation with insurance companies and with our courts lends credibility to your claim. Conversely, a doctor with a bad reputation can literally destroy your claim. Your family doctor may or may not be "THE BEST" choice. Unless they have experience with accident cases, they could inadvertently do something that could hurt your case.
TELL YOUR DOCTOR "EVERYTHING" THAT HURTS: One of the most critical pieces of evidence is how you feel and how your injuries have affected your ability to function on a daily basis. Your doctor is required to keep accurate and detailed records of your medical history and care. The records include your description of how you were injured, your physical complaints, and your injuries, the doctor’s examination findings, and the treatment you received. The insurance company will base it’s offer to you on this critical information. If you fail to tell the doctor everything that hurts, not only will it not be treated properly, but also no one will know about it. If you first begin to complain about some problem weeks or even months after you were hurt, the insurance company will claim that the problem was not from the accident and reduce their settlement offer to you.
FOLLOW YOUR DOCTOR"S ORDERS: If your doctor tells you to get therapy three days a week, but you only go once a week, you will damage your claim. The insurance company will say that "you could not have been truly injured or you would have followed your doctor’s recommendations", and will reduce their settlement offer to you.
KEEP A DIARY TO DOCUMENT YOUR INJURES: Few people ever think of writing down how they feel. You need to remember the details of your injury and how you felt on a day to day basis. A diary helps to provide acute accounts of your injuries and how they affected your ability to function on a daily basis. Your diary will help you prove the extent of your injuries and can mean a higher evaluation of your claim.
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY: They will use anything and everything you tell them against you, and no matter what, DO NOT LIE! Even a small lie can ruin your credibility. The best policy is to always tell the truth. That way, you will never have to worry about what you said.