How to Maintain a Strong Personal Injury Claim in the Face of Adversity
Seeking compensation for damages in a Charlotte, North Carolina personal injury claim is not a straightforward process, and it is not without its obstacles and challenges. If somebody else’s negligence caused your injuries, then you are well within your rights to seek fair compensation for your damages. However, you must be aware of the fact that you meet adversity along the way, and it is very easy to get off track or make regrettable mistakes. Different types of personal injury claims may be subject to variances in the rules, the statutes, and even caps on damages that you can seek. You will find that specific guidelines and processes apply to auto accident injuries, but don’t apply to dog bite injuries, or defective product injuries, for example.
What all personal injuries have in common is that you can make similar mistakes that could compromise your claim. Following are the most common mistakes that you need to avoid in order to maintain a strong personal injury claim in the face of adversity.
It is a Mistake to Trust in an Insurance Claims Adjuster
In many personal injury claims, the compensation that you receive will be agreed upon in a settlement arrangement with the insurance policy of the negligent party. However, the insurance company has experience with these claims and knows how to convince an injured person to settle for a low amount. They do this by employing friendly, polite, and sympathetic insurance claims adjusters to discuss the claim with you and convince you of what they find your claim to be worth. They will tell you that they understand what you’re going through, that they wish you well, and that this is the most you can get for the injuries you’ve suffered.
Of course, they probably really do wish you well and hope that you fully recover. They may even care about what you’re going through, to some degree. Yet, your best interests are not their primary goal. Rather, it is to keep settlements low and convince you to settle quickly. They don’t want you to take the time to add up your actual expenses and losses and realize that their initial settlement offer doesn’t come close to covering any of it. They may also be seeking information from you in an effort to dismiss your claim by twisting your words to indicate that you are at fault or that the injury does not really prevent you from engaging in productive activities.
The best thing you can do to avoid making the mistake of trusting the insurance claims adjuster is to explain, in a respectful and polite tone, that you are not prepared to discuss the case until you have spoken to your attorney. We at Brown Moore & Associates are happy to discuss your case to see if you will benefit from having a skilled Charlotte, North Carolina personal injury lawyer on your side.
It is a Mistake to Discuss Your Condition or Your Life Publicly
We live in the age of technology and the internet. Most people have formed a comfortable habit of keeping up with friends and family via social media accounts, which may be public or limited to friends and family. Anything that you post on these accounts or in any other public forum can be scrutinized for evidence that your injury is not as severe as you indicate in your claim. Even if others discuss your life or your condition, this could be found and evaluated and presented as evidence that goes against your claim. Sometimes the most innocent of remarks, photos, plans to attend events, or the events themselves can be used against you.
To avoid this mistake, consider disabling your accounts and asking others to avoid mentioning you or posting pictures of you. If you don’t discuss your claim, your life, or the events that you attend, then none of these things can be questioned when it comes to the validity of your claim. You may be able to successfully argue that you were not doing anything beyond your medical restrictions at a given event or in a given photograph; but when it comes to the strength of your claim, it is better to not have these potential evidence brought up at all.
It is a Mistake to Hire an Attorney Without Meeting First
Some personal injury lawyers will provide their first consultation over the phone after hearing the details of your case. This is one way to get a bit of legal perspective on your claim, but you should not agree to hire an attorney whom you haven’t met in person unless the circumstances (such as distance from the attorney’s office) make an in-person meeting extremely difficult. You don’t want to sign documents that are sent through the mail after a single phone conversation, for example. Likewise, many attorney’s offices will send “runners” or other individuals who are not attorneys to sign you up as a client. Rather, you should research your options and seek free in-person consultations before deciding whether you need an attorney and which one will best represent you.
The professionals at Brown Moore & Associates are happy to provide speak with you about your Charlotte personal injury claim, and we’ll give you the benefit of our experience in handling claims that are like yours.