Avoid These 5 Common Personal Injury Claim Mistakes

It’s not everyday that you get seriously injured. And when it actually does happen, it is almost always a really overwhelming process. 

You can’t be expected to understand the intricacies of personal injury cases or the process of filing a lawsuit. That is what hiring a lawyer is for, right?! 

The entire experience of getting injured in an accident, working toward healing, getting back to normal life, making work accommodations, and dealing with insurance companies is overwhelming and can be confusing to most people that have never been through the claims process (and even those who have).

Let’s face it, it takes a personal injury attorney years to go through the proper education and training to handle a case correctly. 

Luckily, we have gone through the personal injury claims process many times with our clients and whether you are working with a different law firm or are attempting to tackle your claim yourself, it’s important to know what to expect and what you should avoid when going through a personal injury claim. 

5 Common Personal Injury Claim Mistakes To Avoid

To help you navigate the road ahead, we’ve put together a list of 5 common mistakes that you should avoid when dealing with a personal injury claim. 

Mistake #1: Placing Too Much Trust In The Insurance Adjuster.

We know that insurance companies are in the business of making money. But did you know that like lawyers, insurance adjusters are trained negotiators?

Personal injury claims adjusters will work toward building a trusting relationship with you in order to gain more information about your case so they can build a case to defend their employer’s pockets. Any information that you give them will be recorded word-for-word and could be used against you in a case to hurt your overall settlement or accident compensation. 

In many cases an adjuster will even give you a poorly estimated ballpark for what your case is worth. It’s important to not take this estimate too seriously. Keep in mind that, while they do have a duty to serve you, their client, they are employed by the insurance company and will try to save them as much money as possible.  

Mistake #2: Not Paying Attention to Deadlines.

In the State of Florida, the statute of limitations gives an injured individual 4 years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit. 

Four years may seem like plenty of time to handle your case, however, in the world of working with insurance companies the process can drag on for quite a bit longer than expected. 

It’s important to stay on top of deadlines and ensure that your case is always progressing. This is one strong reason why it is a good idea to have an experienced injury lawyer on your side to fight for you and keep track of deadlines. 

It is also very common for accident injuries to severely develop over time. So if you were injured in an accident that may have seemed minor years ago and did not pursue legal action and now your injuries have developed with time, you’ll want to pay attention to the statute of limitations and seek legal advice as soon as possible. 

Read More: WILL COVID-19 AFFECT MY PERSONAL INJURY CASE?

Mistake #3: Giving Up on Your Case.

Working with insurance adjusters can be taxing and they may convince you that your case is not worth pursuing. They may low-ball the value of your case or even tell you that you don’t have a case whatsoever. 

Should you encounter this, we urge you to seek another opinion from a personal injury attorney. By giving up on your case, you risk losing out on a settlement that can help with inevitable medical bills and lost wages. 

Moreover, if you are working with an attorney that is not suitable for you and cannot bring you a favorable settlement, you may also want to seek a second opinion before giving up on your case.

At Pipas Law, we have helped recover countless favorable settlements for our clients even after another attorney was unable to do so. 

Mistake #4: Delay Seeking Medical Treatment.

On a similar level, to delay or forgo seeking medical treatment for your injuries, you put your health and personal injury case at risk. Insurance companies will go to great lengths to disprove and dissect your case in an effort to minimize your settlement. 

By holding off on medical treatment, the message you are sending to the insurance companies involved is that the treatment is not necessary. This can hurt your chances of getting the settlement you deserve, not to mention it can hurt your health and wellbeing!

Mistake #5: Go Without Seeking Legal Counsel.

By going at this process on your own, you may run into countless other personal injury claim mistakes not listed here, as each case is unique. 

Insurance companies are very familiar with the claims process. Taking the insurance company on by yourself is not a fair fight. We strongly suggest that you reach out to an experienced attorney to discuss your case. 

Please feel free to reach out to us at Pipas Law Group if you have any questions about these 5 common personal injury claim mistakes. 

Consultations are always free.