Through a personal injury claim, victims can get justice, accountability, and much needed financial support. Unfortunately, getting a full and fair settlement offer from a large insurance company is rarely an easy thing to do. Insurers are aggressive—and they may try to take advantage of even the smallest of mistakes. Here, our personal injury lawyers highlight six common mistakes that could undermine your ability to recover the full financial compensation that you rightfully deserve.
Following a serious accident, you should see a doctor. Not only is medical attention necessary to protect your health and well-being, but you will not be able to bring a winning personal injury claim without seeing a doctor. All successful personal injury cases are built on a strong foundation of reliable, carefully documented medical evidence.
Serious injuries should be reported and documented. As an example, imagine that you were injured in a slip and fall accident at a Buffalo area business. You need to make sure that the company is notified of the accident as soon as possible. Failure to document/report an accident could be used to try to deny your claim.
After an accident, you may receive a call from an insurance adjuster. Please know that you are not obligated to provide a recorded statement to the company—at least not at this time. You have the right to gather your thoughts and recover from your injuries. It is strongly recommended that you avoid offering a statement to the insurance company without first speaking to an attorney.
You have a limited amount of time to bring a personal injury claim. Under New York law (CPLR 214(5)), most personal injury lawsuits are subject to a three-year statute of limitations. Though, you should not wait that long to get started. The sooner you get things in motion, the easier it will be to bring a winning claim.
You should avoid talking about pending legal matters. Until your personal injury case is fully resolved, we recommend keeping the details of the case quiet. Do not post about your case or about your recovery on social media. Many people have run into problems based on their public statements.
Finally, you do not have to go up against a large corporation or a big insurance company alone. Professional support is just a phone call away. An experienced personal injury attorney will make sure that you avoid the mistakes that could undermine your claim.
At Richmond Vona, LLC, our New York personal injury lawyers are experienced, results-driven advocates for injured victims. We will help you navigate the process and maximize your financial recovery. For a no fee, no obligation case evaluation, please contact us today. From our office in Buffalo, we represent injured victims throughout Western New York.
