When you file a Georgia personal injury claim for damages you suffered in an accident, you will need to be extremely diligent in how you behave in the following months. Your personal injury settlement is very much reliant on your behavior, evidence and the help of your personal injury attorney. The following 5 tips can help you protect the validity of your personal injury claim and avoid a wrongful denial of your case…
Tip 1 – Be Guarded in Your Conversations
Your every word can be considered evidence in your personal injury claim. If you even give a grain of information to the insurance adjusters that they could use to show you were at all liable, they can use that to deny your personal injury settlement.
Tip 2 – Discuss Everything with Your Personal Injury Lawyer
Keep your lawyer in the loop about all contact you have with doctors, the insurance company and any other parties related to the accident or your injury claim. Make sure they receive copies of any letters or e-mails you get from the other parties involved and take notes of any phone conversations. Before speaking with the insurance companies, make sure you consult with your personal injury lawyer.
Tip 3 – Explain ALL of Your Medical Issues
Don’t hide anything about your health and injuries from your doctor. If it doesn’t feel right, let them know. One of the biggest mistakes personal injury lawyers see is that their clients don’t mention pains or complications until it’s too late to claim them.
Tip 4 – Keep a Diary of Life after Your Accident
One of the big parts of a personal injury settlement that often goes underpaid is the non-economic damages, also known as compensation for pain and suffering. You should keep a record of how your injuries impair your daily activities and quality of life, including when you are unable to work. Your personal injury lawyer will use these details as evidence of how your injuries have caused you serious emotional, physical and financial losses.
Tip 5 – Be Honest
Don’t try to over-play your injuries just to increase your personal injury settlement. Insurance companies have been known to track claimant activity levels through video surveillance, interviews and most recently, your social media accounts. If you claim you cannot run because of a knee injury, yet the insurance company obtains evidence of you out for a jog after your accident, it can be used to justify denial of your personal injury claim.
