If you file a personal injury claim, you can go to trial or settle it with the party at fault. Regardless of your next step, you’d want full compensation for your injury and other losses.
Understanding which parts of your case you can control will help you maximize your potential compensation. Here’s how to ensure you’re adequately compensated and getting settlements.
How to Maximize Your Personal Injury Case
Collect & Preserve Evidence
The evidence you provide can significantly impact the jury and the defendant’s decision to give you a fair settlement. For this reason, actively collecting evidence helps you win your case.
If possible, take photos of the accident scene and your injuries. Get witness names and contact information and obtain a copy of a police report.
Finally, provide your personal injury lawyer with enough information to help them get detailed witness statements and build your case.
Get Medical Treatment
Filing a personal injury claim helps you get the compensation you deserve for your injuries. For this reason, it’s important that you provide accurate details about your injuries.
When seeking treatment, ensure that you keep a record of receipts, results, and all physical evidence of your treatment plan. You can use this documentation to bolster your case.
Seek the Full Value of Your Claim
Among the issues you can be compensated for are loss of bodily functions, limited use of your limbs, emotional distress, and other restitutions. You can recover these damages alongside other out-of-pocket losses.
For maximum compensation, assess the damages related to your case to understand the value of your claim. We advise you to take this step with a competent personal injury attorney.
Determine an Exact Settlement Amount
If you’re writing a personal injury settlement demand letter, you may already have a fixed settlement amount. Take that figure and determine the minimum amount you’d accept before meeting the defendant’s insurance adjuster. A word of caution, though: don’t disclose the figure to the adjuster.
Ultimately, it’s best to establish a minimum settlement amount before negotiations. But as your settlement or lawsuit progresses, you can change that figure.
Here’s how to set the best amount during your talks. Speak with your personal injury lawyer to help you determine the best course of action.
- Set a low figure if the adjuster presents other facts relevant to your case.
- Increase your minimum settlement amount if:
- The adjuster offers a low amount or a figure at or near your initial minimum amount.
- You find sufficient evidence for a sounder case.
Include Future Damages
Your injuries may come with sudden, long-term losses. Recovery takes time, and things can change in an instant, so it’s important to consider future recovery when negotiating your compensation.
Again, make sure to get your diagnosis, treatment plan, and other medical documents from your doctors, then include them in your claim.
File Your Case Immediately
Once you get injured, you must file a legal claim within a set period. California’s statute of limitations for personal injury cases stands at two years after the injury. But if you were diagnosed with an injury that develops over time, you have a year to file your case.
Considering these time limits, you must bring your claim immediately. Otherwise, you lose your chance to get compensated for your injury. The sooner you file your case, the sooner you can collect the necessary evidence.
Limit Your Use of Social Media
As the saying goes, “Everything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law.” This still holds in today’s digital world, where we share our thoughts on social media.
Whether they’re offending parties, attorneys, or insurance adjusters, people will find and use your social media posts against you. Adjusters utilize this tactic to offer a lower settlement. Hence, it helps to stay silent to maximize your settlement amount.
You should also stay off social media if you seek compensation for serious injuries like traumatic brain injuries. False posts about your case reduce your chances of receiving the maximum settlement possible.
Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer
Finally, build your case with a personal injury attorney’s expertise.
Your legal representative can significantly influence your case’s results. For instance, a competent lawyer helps you present a strong claim.
If you need expert assistance for a personal injury claim, consider working with the best personal injury lawyer in your area. They fight for full and fair compensation with over 100 years of combined legal experience.
Personal injury lawyers understand California’s complex laws and the areas they handle, from brain injuries to vehicle accidents.
Get The Most Out of Your Personal Injury Case
Implementing these valuable tips on maximizing your personal injury settlement can greatly impact the outcome of your case.
From gathering strong evidence to effectively negotiating with insurance companies, being proactive and seeking professional legal assistance will significantly increase your chances of receiving fair compensation for your injuries and losses.