What to Do (and Not Do) During an Ongoing Personal Injury Claim 

You’ve been involved in a car crash or other accident that wasn’t your fault. You’ve suffered injuries and filed a personal injury claim with the responsible party (or their insurance). 

This is a critical moment for you. The choices you make now could be the difference between healing with the best medical care or suffering life-long pain because you weren’t able to get the support you needed. They can help you find financial stability or leave you under mounting medical debt. 

Here are suggestions for what you should and shouldn’t do during your personal injury claim. And if you have any questions or want the support of an Oklahoma City personal injury lawyer, please contact us for a free case evaluation. 

DO These 5 Things During Your Personal Injury Claim 

During an ongoing claim, you need to do everything you can to strengthen your case. The stronger your case is, the better your chances of getting a fair settlement. And if your case goes to trial, you’ll be more ready to convince a jury to your side. 

DO: Seek Prompt Medical Attention 

Go see a doctor as soon as the accident occurs. Even if you skipped this step, it’s not too late. Some injuries take time to show up, and even though you don’t feel pain right away, it doesn’t mean that your injuries are not serious. Adrenaline can mask pain, so any personal injury case may have delayed symptoms.  

RELATED: I Didn’t Go to the Doctor After My Car Accident. Do I Still Have a Case? 

DO: Be Honest with the Doctor 

Don’t exaggerate your symptoms, but also avoid downplaying them.  

Get the treatment you need for the injuries you have. Disclose any pre-existing conditions with the doctor so they can perform an accurate assessment of how your accident may have exacerbated any problems. 

If you aren’t honest with the doctor, it could harm your credibility and, in turn, your personal injury claim. 

DO: Follow Your Treatment Plan as Closely as Possible 

Attend all your follow up appointments, seek out specialists as recommended by your doctor, take your prescriptions as recommended, and generally adhere to the doctor’s orders as closely as you can. If you can’t because of financial hardship or another valid reason, make sure you document what you missed and why.  

If you don’t follow the doctor’s treatment plan, the insurance company could argue that the severity of your injury isn’t as bad as you claim. 

DO: Keep Detailed Records 

Throughout the course of your claim, you may need to provide medical documentation, bills and receipts, and detailed accounts of your injuries. 

One recommendation is to start a journal about your injuries and how they affect your daily life. This can help you keep your medical history straight and provide valuable evidence of the severity of your injuries. 

DO: Consult an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney 

Most personal injury lawyers offer a free consultation, so you have nothing to lose by calling up a local attorney to talk about your case. They can provide you with practical advice and discuss how they can help you get the highest possible fair settlement for your case. 

An attorney can handle communication and negotiation for you, so that you don’t make a critical error and fall right into the insurance company’s trap. 

RELATED: What to Expect When You Consult With a Lawyer 

DON’T Do These 5 Things During Your Personal Injury Claim 

Even if you have a strong claim, the smallest slip-up could cause considerable damage to your personal injury case. Insurance companies know all the tricks to get you to accept a lower settlement than you deserve and how to ask the right leading questions to get you to state your injuries aren’t as bad as they actually are.  

If you want to avoid hurting your case, make sure you know about these pitfalls: 

DON’T: Talk to the Insurance Adjuster Without a Lawyer 

An insurance adjuster might start out by having a casual conversation with you. They want you to feel relaxed. It might even seem like they’re on your side. Just remember: the insurance company is never on your side. 

The best thing to tell an insurance adjuster is how to contact your lawyer. If you must speak with them, keep to the facts. Take notes or a recording if you can. Don’t admit fault, and don’t apologize for anything. 

RELATED: How to Deal With an Insurance Adjuster After a Car Accident 

DON’T: Give a Written or Recorded Statement 

Again, insurance companies know just the right questions to ask to get you to admit that maybe you are partially at fault, or maybe your injuries aren’t as serious as you say, or maybe you don’t know quite what happened.  

An insurance adjuster will find any way to cast doubt on your claim. You are not required to provide a written or recorded statement, and doing so is more likely to hurt your case than help it. 

DON’T: Accept the First Settlement Offer 

You have medical bills. You may be missing work. You are recovering from injuries, and you’re likely stressed out and overwhelmed. You probably have no experience with insurance claims or fair settlement offers. 

The insurance company is banking on this. They will send you a lowball offer, hoping that you won’t know it’s a bad deal. They also hope you feel the pressure to need the cash right away, so you won’t think twice about accepting it. 

The first offer is typically much lower than your case is worth. If you want a fair settlement offer, you’ll have to fight for it. 

DON’T: Talk About Your Case Publicly 

While you might already know that you shouldn’t post about your case on social media, there’s more to it. ANY social media posts could get you in trouble.  

If you’re out with friends, if you’re showing yourself doing something physical, or if you’re simply feeling happy and want to share it with the world, the insurance company could use this as proof that your injuries aren’t as bad as you say. 

When in doubt, the best thing to do is avoid posting at all. 

DON’T: Neglect Your Mental Health 

Accidents can be both physically and mentally traumatic. Getting help for your mental health is more than just getting your life back on track. It can also be a significant component of your personal injury claim. 

Visits to a psychiatrist or psychologist can provide a trail of documentation to show the depression, anxiety, PTSD, or insomnia that you’ve suffered since the accident. These can be claimed as medical costs and emotional distress damages as part of your claim. 

Avoid Critical Mistakes by Letting The Wolf Pack™ Handle Your Personal Injury Claim 

There are so many ways to slip up when it comes to personal injury cases. Once your credibility is lost, it is nearly impossible to get it back. And when you’re under the financial and physical stress of healing after an accident, it’s even easier to make a mistake. 

The best way to ensure you have a strong case is to let an experienced personal injury attorney communicate and negotiate on your behalf. The Wolf Pack™ will aggressively take on the insurance companies so that you receive a fair settlement as the victim of an accident. Our team will put together a compelling case, advise you on the best course of action, and help you understand when to settle and when to fight for more. 

For a free, no-strings-attached consultation, give us a call or fill out our online form. When we learn about the specifics of your case, we can provide you with our best advice on your legal options for creating a strong claim.  

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject.