The Most Important Things to Do After Your Injury

Car Accident Lawyer

Injuries occur every day. A child is injured in a car accident after school. A woman slips on water in the grocery store and breaks her hip. A man walking his own dog gets bitten by an off-leash dog in the neighborhood. A patient dies in surgery when the doctor misses something. Victims face difficult questions after an accident due to someone else’s negligence.

If you’re injured, take these five steps to recuperate and to recover compensation.

Get Medical Treatment

If you’re involved in an accident, you should get medical treatment right away. Not every injury is immediately noticeable. If you’re in shock, adrenaline could mask pain. Getting medical help right away provides a paper trail in case you have more serious injuries that develop later. Make sure to obey doctor’s orders.

Report the Injury

If you were in a car accident, contact the police and report the accident to your own insurance company. If you were injured at a store, contact the manager. Make sure to report the accident to an “official” authority. Go the manager, not just a store employee. Try to get something in writing that shows you did contact an authority. Don’t make judgments, just give the facts.

Keep Documents

From the police report to repair bills, you should make sure to keep all the records that you receive after the accident. If you take photographs of the scene of the accident and/or your injuries, create a separate folder on your phone to find them quickly. Don’t throw anything away or just put it on your desk, thinking you’ll find it later. Make a point to track everything.

Stay Off Social Media

Don’t make public statements about your case, your injuries or your prognosis. If you are injured, don’t post pictures on social media that might contradict your claim. If you say you have a back injury, you don’t to post pictures that show you riding a horse. Even though you might be in pain, the other party’s insurance company could use that evidence to show that your injury isn’t as bad as you claim.

Talk to a Personal Injury Lawyer

Don’t talk to the other party’s insurance company without discussing your case with your own personal injury lawyer. It will give you peace of mind about whether you should accept the initial settlement or not. Your attorney can help you maximize your claim and remove some of the stress from you of negotiations.

If you or a loved one has been injured by the negligence of others, contact a car accident lawyer.