Suffering a personal injury is a traumatic experience and injuries can lead to long-term recovery, loss of wages, or even permanent disabilities. These injuries can be caused by anything from a car accident to a common everyday slip and fall. Of course, injuries aren’t always caused by innocent accidents. If you believe you’ve been injured due to the fault or negligence of another party, it’s understandable for you to want compensation.
Being repaid for property damages and medical expenses is only fair, and these things are relatively easy to calculate. What’s difficult to calculate is how much pain and suffering a plaintiff has endured in an injury case. Damages may be paid in a personal injury case to cover lost work time, emotional and mental anguish, and physical pain caused by wrongdoing. While it’s not really possible to determine an “average” payout for a personal injury case, finding the best personal injury attorneys will greatly increase your odds of a favorable settlement. Here are some of the best things you can do to strengthen your case.
Keep Up With Doctor Appointments
Any time you’re injured, you should seek immediate medical treatment. This is primarily for your own safety since not all injuries show immediate symptoms. It’s also crucial for a personal injury case, so you can prove that all your injuries were the direct result of the accident or negligent act. If you leave time between your injury and your initial treatment, the defendant will be able to discredit your claim by saying your injuries could be from another source.
You’ll also need to take all treatment recommendations and follow-up appointments seriously. Your medical records will be crucial to your case, and you’ll need to work with your doctor and attorney to ensure your credibility is beyond reproach. Failing to follow your treatment recommendations is one of the most damaging things possible for your case.
Collect All Relevant Evidence
Ultimately, the evidence you provide will be what decides your case. Even if your case never makes it to a judge, the other party’s settlement offer will be based on the evidence you present them. In an ideal situation, you would have video or photographic evidence of the scene itself. Even if there were no witnesses at the time of injury, nearby security cameras may have footage. Even if you don’t have visual evidence of the injury itself, it can still be useful to return to the scene.
For example, in the case of a car accident, photos of any skid marks on the road, signs, or nearby landmarks could add context to reports. Photographs of your injuries and recovery process will be extremely useful as well. If there are any witnesses or police reports, they’ll need to be collected. Finally, you might consider seeing if you can find any information about the defendant. For instance, if they have mugshots online related to similar situations, you may be able to demonstrate a pattern of behavior.
Evaluate Your Claim
Getting your best settlement may entail rejecting an initial offer, reevaluating your claim, and providing evidence that proves the initial offer insufficient. No one wants to pay more than they have to, so it’s likely the defendant’s side will try to make you a low offer. It’s best to consult with your attorney at length before filing your initial claim to ensure you have as much strong evidence as you can, but your attorney should be able to help you secure additional damages if they’re owed to you.
If you’re still recovering from your injury, don’t forget to factor future damages into the claim. You also need to be aware that securing a fair settlement will likely take time. Keep your doctor and attorney updated on any developments in your condition, and avoid talking about the case while it’s ongoing.
