Building a Personal Injury Claim? Avoid These Common Mistakes

If you were seriously hurt because someone failed to act with reasonable care, you may be entitled to compensation for the resulting damages. In order to hold the responsible party financially accountable, though, you’ll have to present sufficient evidence of liability and damages. You’ll also have to avoid making critical mistakes over the course of the proceedings.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common missteps that claimants make when pursuing the funds they need to put their lives back together:

1. Postponing Treatment

There’s always so much to do in the wake of an accident that it’s not uncommon for victims to put off seeing a doctor. This is especially true for those who sustain injuries that are not immediately apparent. Without prompt care, though, serious complications can arise.

Should this happen, such complications not only will threaten your health and well-being, but they will also give the liable party reason to challenge your claim. If they can prove that you failed to mitigate damages, they can shift at least some fault onto you, thereby reducing their own financial obligation.

2. Giving a Recorded Statement

The insurance adjuster may ask for a recorded statement fairly early in the proceedings. In fact, he or she may inform you that the carrier won’t be able to process your claim without one.

This is untrue and entirely unfair. Discussing the incident or the damages that resulted prematurely could give the insurance adjuster the opportunity to challenge your credibility later, especially if your statement turns out to be inaccurate. If he or she is persistent about securing a statement, simply refer all correspondence to your legal team, who will handle the situation on your behalf.

3. Staying Active on Social Media

The insurance adjuster will likely monitor your online activity in an attempt to find evidence that you’re exaggerating the severity of your injuries or the extent of their damages. Since there’s no way to be sure how he or she will interpret what you post, it’s best to stay off social media altogether as long as your claim is pending.

If disabling your accounts temporarily is not an option, you can reduce the risk of hurting your case inadvertently by updating your privacy settings, filtering all new friend requests, and not posting about the accident, your injuries, your social life, or your expenditures.

4. Overlooking Non-Economic Damages

Mississippi allows for the recovery of non-economic damages like emotional distress, mental anguish, loss of enjoyment in life, and pain and suffering. One of the best ways to track such damages is by keeping a personal injury journal.

In this journal, write detailed entries about the ways in which your condition is affecting your everyday life. When it comes time to demonstrate the extent of your non-economic damages, such entries could be valuable.

Discuss Your Case with a Personal Injury Attorney in Jackson

If you want to file a personal injury claim in Mississippi, contact Brown Bass & Jeter, PLLC to determine how best to proceed. Our resourceful team will conduct a thorough investigation into the accident to gather the evidence needed to prove liability and damages against all responsible parties. Call 601-487-8448 or fill out our Contact Form to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Jackson.