What Should I Avoid Doing After A Serious Personal Injury?
4 Things You Should Not Do After A Serious Personal Injury
It can often be difficult to know what actions you should take following a serious personal injury accident, especially when you have insurance companies trying to offer you money. However, while knowing what to do following an accident is important, knowing what NOT to do is equally important.
For instance, here are four things you should avoid doing if you are ever injured in an accident:
- Fail to seek medical care: You may think your injuries are minor, but that isn’t necessarily true. It is crucial to seek medical care as soon as possible following your accident, especially since some injuries may be much more serious than you realize.
- Fail to call 911: Even if the other side is saying you don’t need to call the police, you should always call 911 and report the accident. After all, a police report may come in handy later should you need to prove your personal injury claim in court.
- Speak to the insurance company: Many insurance companies care more about their bottom line than your well-being, so they are going to try to pay you the least amount possible — or deny your claim altogether. Therefore, it is best not to speak, or give a recorded statement, to the other party’s insurance company or its attorney. If they can, they will use what you say against you. In these situations, it is best to simply tell them to contact your attorney.
- Accept a settlement without first speaking to a lawyer: Never take a check or sign anything from an insurance company without first talking to a lawyer. You don’t want to waive your rights to possible compensation, especially if the settlement offer from the insurance company doesn’t actually cover all of your damages.
As we often mention throughout our site, every situation is different. So, while the actions listed above are some of the things you should avoid doing following an accident, depending on your situation, there may be other actions you may also want to avoid. The best way to know what steps to take — and which to avoid — is to contact an attorney as soon as possible.
Injured? Our Attorneys Go The Extra Mile.
The importance of hiring an experienced lawyer to protect your rights cannot be overstated. Not only do you need an attorney who will help you obtain the compensation you deserve, but you also need an attorney who will stay with you until you receive the full amount of the compensation awarded in your case. And that is exactly what you will get at Edelman & Edelman, P.C. Simply put, we go the extra mile.
Contact our New York office today to schedule your free consultation. You can reach us online, or you can call us at 212-235-1197.
