A lot of people who come into personal injury litigation have some misconceptions about how the legal process works. As a result, their claims may lose or be settled unfavorably. A personal injury claim is not as simple as presenting a statement of what took place and making a demand for damages. Getting full and fair compensation for your injuries from the responsible party can be challenging. Insurance companies will try to make the lowest settlement offer possible or deny your claim. This makes it important to be represented by an experienced Colorado personal injury lawyer. Insurance companies will take your claim more seriously if your lawyer deals with them. By working with an attorney, you avoid making the following mistakes that could be detrimental to your injury case:
Not Documenting Your Injury
If possible, you should document the circumstances of your injury so you will have enough proof to provide to the insurance company or the court when your case ends up in trial. Photos and videos of your accident and injury will come in handy to support your version of events regarding who was responsible for causing your injury.
Not Getting Immediate Medical Attention
You should get treatment right after the accident. Your doctor can identify any minor or serious injuries and any actual or possible complications. Also, they can document your injuries which helps protect your legal rights. Waiting too long to get medical care may deprive you of certain evidence that shows the accident caused your injury. The other party may assert that your injuries were caused or aggravated by something else because you did not get medical care right away.
Not Keeping Complete Records of Your Losses
If you sustained injuries because of another party’s negligence, the latter should compensate you for your economic losses. But, to get full compensation you must possess documentation of these losses which include medical records, lost income, and pain and suffering. Document how your injury has impacted your life because this can support your claim.
Failing to Determine the True and Full Extent of Your Injury
You should not play down your injury or hide some related facts from your doctor. Your healthcare providers can determine the nature and full extent of your injuries. Also, you should not claim to be more injured than you are because this can come back to ruin your injury claim. When the insurance company finds out what the truth is, they can reduce your compensation or deny it outright.
