7 Ways to Maximize Your Personal Injury Claim Settlement
Have you recently suffered an injury because of an accident that wasn’t your fault? If so, you likely know that you have the right to file a claim for damages. However, do you know how to maximize your claim settlement? If not, use the information here.
About 95% of personal injury lawsuits settle before trial.
As such, you’ll want to get the highest possible settlement if you’re a victim of an accident.
Once you’ve decided to bring a personal injury lawsuit, you should everything in your power to maximize your possible compensation. A vital part of recovering is ensuring you’ve got an adequate settlement to do so.
What you do following an accident does matter, and there are certain things you can do to maximize your claim. Here are 7 ways to get the most of out of your claim settlement.
Preserve Evidence for Trial
In a personal injury case, the plaintiff or claimant has the burden of proof. Therefore, you must provide enough evidence to prove your claim.
You need to preserve evidence immediately after your accident. If you don’t secure proof on time, you may lose valuable pieces of information. Use the following tips to preserve evidence:
- Record the location of the accident. Include details such as landmarks and street addresses if you’re unfamiliar with the area.
- Take pictures of visible injuries, damaged items, as well as the accident scene.
- Call the police and report the incident.
- Get the contact information of witnesses.
- If there are CCTV cameras within the vicinity, get video surveillance footage.
Be sure to stay ahead of defendants who will start building their defense immediately after an accident. Never admit fault because the defendant can use your statement against you in a court of law.
Have a Witness to Testify About Your Condition
You’ll need someone to attest to the effects of your injuries on your daily life. Ask your friends, co-workers, or family members to write statements that you’ll attach to your personal injury demand letters.
The court can call upon these witnesses during the trial to prove the severity of your injuries. Your kids or spouse can tell the court how your life’s quality has diminished after your accident.
Your witness can describe any changes in your mood since you got your injuries, your loss of enjoyment of leisure activities, and the difficulties in caring for yourself.
Get the Necessary Medical Treatment
Your treatment report will have an effect on your personal injury claim settlement. Seek proper treatment for your injuries and ask for a detailed medical report from your clinic. Treatment may include surgical procedures, therapy, and blood work.
Your attorney can use your treatment as evidence of your injuries. If you fail to heed your doctor’s orders, the defense may choose to use the report to downplay your claim. They will argue that you never sought medical attention because your injuries were insignificant.
Foregoing medical treatment may reduce your chances of getting a higher value for your personal injury lawsuit. Be sure to schedule the necessary appointments and take your medication as prescribed.
Only Talk to Your Insurer After Hiring an Attorney
Most insurance companies are good at convincing their clients that they have their best interests at heart. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
Insurance firms are in the business of maximizing profit and making money. They will offer you an unfair settlement as a way of increasing their profit margins.
Your insurer’s adjusters are likely to contact you immediately after an accident with the aim of taking advantage of your situation. They will try to talk you into recording a statement before they compensate you for your injuries. To avoid falling into such a trap, hire a reputable injury lawyer.
Be a Good Witness to Maximize Your Claim Settlement
Getting a personal injury settlement can be a frustrating process. However, you should always be on your best behavior. Be professional and polite when interacting with the parties involved in the case.
Although you may be tempted to act tough to earn respect from insurance adjusters, judges, and the defendant, you need to practice patience, politeness, and honesty to maximize your personal injury claim settlement.
Most juries award higher compensation to likable accident victims. They are more empathetic to those who seem responsible, sincere, humble, and reasonable.
On the flipside, juries frown upon disagreeable victims because they feel as though the claimants are exaggerating the severity of their injuries. If you don’t look appealing to the jury, the insurance adjuster is likely to award you a low settlement offer.
Find a Lawyer Who Has Vast Experience in Personal Injury Cases
You should be careful when picking an attorney to represent you in your personal injury case. We can’t stress enough the importance of hiring a skilled lawyer.
Each attorney has skills and experience that differs from another attorney. Hire a personal injury attorney who can take your case to trial.
When choosing a lawyer, ask relevant questions to determine whether he or she is capable of handling your case.
Ask your attorney about their experience. Some lawyers handle a variety of legal issues like wills, contracts, bankruptcy, and real estate. Other attorneys specialize in representing injury victims. Go for a lawyer who focuses on injury cases.
Is the attorney a trial attorney? Some legal professionals rarely go to court, if at all. They accept low settlement offers to avoid going to trial. Make sure to find an injury attorney who prefers to take cases to trial.
Find out who will work on your case. Many law firms take up more cases than they can handle. They assign their cases to junior associates and paralegals that have little or no experience in personal injury claim cases.
Make sure you know who will handle your lawsuit prior to signing a retainer agreement. Insist on working with an experienced lawyer who is familiar with your case. Please check out this website to find an experienced lawyer you can trust.
Be Truthful About Your Previous Injuries and Accidents
Your prior accidents and injuries can become a problem if you’re not sincere about them. In some cases, preexisting injuries become worse after an accident. In other instances, previous injuries are healed and non-symptomatic at the time of an accident.
If you’re honest about the history of your injuries or accident, you may be compensated for aggravation of an old injury. Your honesty will increase your credibility, which will help you get bigger settlements.
The Bottom Line
A qualified personal injury can help you get the most of your claim settlement. At each juncture, they can help build you build a strong case so you can get the just settlement you need.
And for some invaluable lifestyle articles to take your mind off your accident, be sure to have a tour of our blog.
