Thinking About Filing A Personal Injury Lawsuit? 3 Temptations You Should Avoid
If you have been involved in a bad car accident that wasn't your fault, you might be feeling angry or depressed. Although you might be tempted to angrily voice your opinion about the other driver or sleep for days, making the wrong decisions after your wreck could actually impact any lawsuit that you decide to file. Here are three temptations that you should avoid if you are considering legal action, and what might happen if you don't.
1: Procrastination
After being injured in an accident, you might find yourself with a lot on your plate. In addition to taking care of all of your normal day-to-day responsibilities and trying to figure out how to cover your work shifts, you might also be struggling with pain caused by recent lacerations or surgeries. In the months following your wreck, the last thing you probably feel like doing is talking with a lawyer. Unfortunately, procrastinating legal action might hurt your case.
Believe it or not, there is a statute of limitations regarding your time-frame for filing personal injury cases, and if you wait, it might be too late. While some states, like Maine, give people up to six years from the original date of the accident to file, other states, like Tennessee, might require you to file within one year.
Although it might seem like a silly rule, states have these regulations in effect to preserve the facts of the case. For example, witnesses might forget important details about the accident, or you might lose those pictures that you took. If you want to stay on the safe side, take the time to meet with a car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
2: Posting on Social Media
If you are like most people, you might instinctively post the details of your life on social media whenever there is a new development. After your wreck, you might post updates regarding your recovery, or talk about how angry you are. Unfortunately, it can be hard to take back public statements, and lawyers can use social media against you in court.
Because the purpose of a personal injury lawsuit is to reimburse you for your medical bills, missed work and emotional distress, it might be hard for your lawyer to prove you are struggling if you recently posted pictures of that new handbag you bought or that video of you playing outside with your kids. Even simple messages can hurt your case, even if they aren't directed towards your accident. For example, if you post something basic like "loving life today," it might make it look like you are lying in court about your terrible pain, even if you were being sarcastic online.
To avoid making your case more complicated than it needs to be, stay away from social media during your lawsuit. If you are required to make a public statement about your accident, work with your attorney to decide what to say. It might seem like a hassle, but careful decisions now could save you from a world of trouble later.
3: Ignoring Your Doctor's Orders
After your accident, your doctor will give you specific instructions for how to heal from specific injuries. You might be asked to take antibiotics to fend off infections, or to attend physical therapy sessions to restore your strength. Although you might carefully abide by his instructions for the first few days, you might be tempted to do your own thing in a week or so. However, ignoring your doctor's orders might land you in hot water.
If you don't listen to your physician, you might end up aggravating existing injuries, which can complicate your personal injury case. The other lawyer might try to prove that you caused your own health issues because you didn't listen to your doctor, which could lead to your case being dismissed.
When you meet with your doctor, take careful notes and follow his directions to the letter of the law. If you want to bolster your case, make a recovery journal to document the treatment that you received and how you felt each day.
By making the right moves after your car accident, you might be able to get the settlement that you deserve, so that you can emotionally and financially recover. For more information, contact a lawyer either in person or online via a website like http://www.lvaccident.com.
