TOP 10 BIGGEST MISTAKES IN AN INJURY CLAIM 

Accidents and mishaps occur fairly frequently; however, this regularity does not detract from the pain and confusion you feel when it happens to you or a loved one. If your accident was the result of negligence on the part of another person or entity, you may be entitled to recover damages through a personal injury claim.

The vast majority of personal injury cases are settled before they make it to trial. Your Jackson personal injury attorney can negotiate with the defendant’s insurer and lawyer in order to secure the best settlement possible on your behalf. If the other side is unwilling to settle, you may end up in a personal injury trial. 

There are a number of mistakes commonly made by those pursuing a personal injury claim, including the following:

• Failure to seek medical attention immediately after your accident. Far too many people refuse medical attention at the scene of the accident. This could be out of embarrassment—i.e. not wanting to be loaded into an ambulance with others looking on—because they don’t want to miss work, or because they honestly believe they are fine. Following an accident, your body is flooded with adrenaline which can mask pain and other symptoms of an injury. If you refuse medical attention at the scene of the accident, then later realize you are hurt, perhaps seriously, the defendant’s insurance company may use this against you.
• Failure to follow your doctor’s instructions. Even if you do seek medical attention after your accident, you must continue to follow up, and make sure you fully comply with all your doctor’s instructions. If you fail to follow through with your prescribed treatment, the defendant’s insurance company is likely to claim there was another cause of your injuries.
• Misrepresenting your accident or injuries to your doctor. Always be entirely honest with your doctor regarding your accident. Don’t downplay your injuries, but by the same token, don’t exaggerate your injuries. If the insurance company finds out you exaggerated the extent of your injuries to your doctor, it will cast doubt on your truthfulness, and could skewer your entire case.
• Failure to call the police after your accident. Even in a relatively minor accident, serious injuries can result. Many people let the other person involved in the accident persuade them not to call the police because “it’s just a bump-in.” Having a police accident report can be crucial to your personal injury claim, so don’t skip this step, no matter how much pressure you are under to do so.
• Failure to fully document your accident early on. If you are physically able after your accident, take photographs of the scene of the accident. If there are any witnesses to the accident, get their names and addresses before they leave. Document all of your medical treatments, and as soon as you are home and able, write down every single detail you can remember about your accident. This information can be crucial for your Mississippi personal injury attorney later on.