8 Tips for Getting Maximum Compensation for Your Accident Injuries

1. Seek medical help

It’s critical that you get medical help after your accident for a couple of reasons. First, your doctor will help you heal faster and to the fullest extent. Second, this sets up the all-important foundation for your legal case. Insurance companies will not give you money for saying you are injured. Many people worry that if they seek medical treatment, all of their settlement money will go to the doctors who treated them. This is not true. In fact, without that treatment, there may be no settlement at all, as medical treatment is the basis for calculating your compensation.

2. Comply with your doctor’s orders

Attend all of your medical appointments and be on time. If your doctor recommends other tests or therapies, schedule them promptly and follow through with the full range of testing and treatment. Even if treatment is inconvenient or you don’t see the point in it, trust your medical experts to guide you through. It’s not just good for your health, it’s essential for building an airtight legal case.

3. Communicate consistently with your medical providers

Be honest and thorough when explaining where things hurt and how bad they hurt. Being a tough guy (or gal) gets you nowhere. The more information you can share with your doctor, the more of a foundation there will be for your legal case.

4. Stay off of social media

It is not uncommon for insurance companies to hire specialists to search accident victims’ social media accounts for messages that hurt their case. And it’s not just your posts that can hurt you. Your comments on others’ posts can hurt as well. “Nice game, but my jump shot was legendary!” could have the same effect as an incriminating photo. The best policy is to avoid social media until your injury accident case resolves.

5. Avoid direct communication with the opposing party’s insurance company

Insurance companies may sound nice and sympathetic on the phone, but they may try to prime you for details that could sabotage your case. You should avoid talking to their representatives and leave this to an experienced attorney…which brings us to our next tip.

6. Trust the legal experts

A good accident lawyer will know all of the ins and outs of personal injury law and understand how to leverage it in your favor. An insurance company may try to suggest that you had more fault in the accident than their client, but an attorney can push back against this. Even in cases where you were partially at fault, your attorney can construct a case to maximize your award and shut down the intimidating tactics of Big Insurance.

7. Don’t be swayed by lowball offers

The opposing party’s insurance company may try to pressure you to accept a quick settlement, and if your injury has drained your bank account, you may be tempted by the allure of quick cash. But do not jump at these lowball offers—they are often pennies on the dollar compared to what you could be earning. Once you accept a settlement offer, you are relinquishing your right to ask for more. A skilled attorney can help you know whether or not an offer is reasonable to cover present and future costs related to your accident injuries.

8. Don’t let insurance companies overstate your pre-existing conditions

Pre-existing conditions need not be a deal breaker. A good lawyer will have a firm grasp of the laws related to pre-existing conditions and can call an insurance company’s bluff.

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