Do You Have a Medical Malpractice Case?

Posted on: 22 February 2016

When an automobile accident happens, you may find yourself wondering what you should be doing. The situations can be confusing and disorientating, which is why people sometimes make mistakes after an automobile accident occurs. If you do any of these three things, it could end up costing you money in the end.

Saying You Are Not Injured

It's common for others to check on the people involved in an automobile accident immediately after it happens and ask if everyone is okay. While you may be tempted to say that you're not injured, avoid giving an immediate response that you are fine just to be reassuring to those asking. The truth is that you do not know if you are not injured until you can be evaluated by a doctor.

If you tell a witness that you are not injured, and they make a statement to the police, you may find that statement used against you when settling a personal injury case.

Telling Others Your Medical History

Insurance companies will try to get out of paying a personal injury lawsuit if they are able. One way is by looking into your history related to previous medical conditions. It does not matter if you do or do not have any previous medical issues because you shouldn't be unofficially communicating them to an insurance company. This information can be used against you by claiming that injuries related to the accident were only because of previous injuries that contributed to it.

If an insurance company has questions, tell them that your doctor can forward relevant medical information to them regarding your injury. It's always best to have an official medical practitioner relay medical information so that a mistake is not made in translation.

Settling Too Early

It's impossible to know how much it will cost to repair your automobile, or how much your total medical costs will be to recover from your injury. Insurance companies will often try to settle a case by giving you a lump sum before all damages have been paid for since they know the damages can cost much more.

The problem with taking a settlement is that the amount could be much less than what you actually pay out of pocket. Avoid taking a settlement early on in the recovery process to ensure that all your expenses are covered.

If you need help at any point when trying to receive compensation from an automobile accident, lawyers in your area may be able to help.