If you’ve been seriously hurt in an accident that was someone else’s fault, you should be compensated for your injuries, medical bills, pain, and other losses. If you’ve been injured, you need to do everything you can to maximize your claim for compensation.
Due to avoidable errors, some claimants have to settle for less than their case is worth. These blunders are addressed in this article, along with advice for avoiding them.
If you were injured in Colorado and plan on filing a personal injury claim, be sure to read this first.
Mistakes that should be avoided at all costs in a personal injury claim in Colorado include:
- The information in a police accident report can be useful in any personal injury case, but there won’t be a report if you don’t call the police to report the accident.
- Putting off getting help from a lawyer — Hiring a lawyer increases your odds of getting fully compensated for your injuries. Hiring an injury lawyer early on also allows them more time to gather evidence in your favor, reducing the risk of the statute of limitations interfering with their work.
- Refusing to seek medical attention straight away – First, doing so may increase the severity of your injuries. Second, by postponing medical attention, insurers can play down your injuries in an effort to pay out less in claims.
- Avoiding disclosure to your lawyer and doctor about previous collisions is a bad idea if you have a history of accidents. If you don’t disclose a previous collision, the insurance company will have a more difficult time proving that the most recent incident caused your injuries.
- Staying home from work when you could be contributing — Do not return to work until you have been given the all-clear by your physician, but do so as soon as possible afterward. Your personal injury case and your job security are both in jeopardy if you do not return to work as soon as possible.
- Talking to the insurance company before consulting an attorney about your case. You should be careful about what you say to them as a result. Rule of thumb: Get an attorney involved before communicating with an insurance provider.
