Top Ten Ways To Get The Most Money From Your Car Accident Case
Text Or Call 24 Hr Attorney Hotline (407) 803-2139
If you were injured by another person in a car accident, you are entitled to money, if they have enough insurance coverage. Question is: how much? Right after an accident, the answer is usually unknown. However, you can increase the value of your case, after the accident. That probably surprises you. But it’s completely true. Here’s how.
Call an Orlando car accident attorney who will actually talk to you. Your lawyer should be telling you how to get more money. Each case is different. So the advice I give each client is different.- Get to the doctor ASAP. You can’t get to the doctor quickly enough. The ER by ambulance from the scene is the best choice. Second best is as quickly as you can get to any doctor. The ER soon after is another good choice.
- Tell the doctor about ALL of your pain complaints. Don’t forget anything. If your shoulder hurts, but your foot hurts more, don’t just focus on your foot. The reason is that what your doctor writes in your medical records is the best evidence that whatever body part really was hurting after any accident. Insurance companies will not just believe you. You need to have complained to a doctor about all symptoms. You also need to receive treatment for all of them.
- Do not skip doctor or therapy appointments. And make them as often as recommended by your doctor or therapist. Generally you need physical therapy 2-3 times a week for an extended period. And you need to see your doctor at least once a month, regardless of what he says (always remember: your doctor is not a lawyer).
- Stay in treatment until you reach maximum medical improvement. This is something your doctor decides. If you completely recover, in many cases, your case will be worth very little, to nothing. That means, unless you fully recover, you should expect stay in treatment for the duration of your case, unless you want nothing in your pocket. The law does not allow for pain and suffering damages for temporary conditions, in most accident cases (with a few limited exceptions).
- Surgery is more valuable than injections, which are more valuable than extended PT. Of course, you shouldn’t get any surgery or injections you do not need. This is just the reality of case values. You also can’t get value for surgery that is “planned.” Actual surgeries lead to higher values. Surgeries your doctor says you should get, if you refuse, have much less value. Of course, this all assumes the defendant driver’s liability (fault) is clear. And that they have enough insurance coverage to pay the full value of your injuries.
- Stay away from social media and any other online social activities (for example: dating forums). Defense lawyers can and do access these profiles, even when they are private. They can use innocent posts against you in ways you can’t imagine.
- Avoid total reliance on pain pills for treatment. You can take them, but you need other treatment. I am not a doctor. So this is not medical advice. This is just the best way to get the most money from your car accident case.
- Do not speak to any insurance company, before speaking with an Orlando car accident attorney. Their goal is to pay you the least amount of money possible. They are trying to develop evidence against you. You cannot possibly know all of the tricky ways that they get you to make admissions that hurt your case. For example, if you claim that your back is killing you, but mention that you went to a dance party this past weekend. The list of examples would boggle your mind. Don’t fall for their traps! (Note: you are often required to report accidents to your own carrier within a certain period of time. So call your lawyer quickly.) The scary thing is there is advice all over the Internet suggesting you speak with adjusters yourself, and how to do so. That is bad advice. Again, adjusters can testify against you. And you have no idea what might help or hurt you. Bad, bad, bad idea.
- Try to keep working (in your job) as much as you possibly can. Jurors like those who try to help themselves as much as possible. Basically, this makes you look like a trooper, which can make jurors more sympathetic. Insurance companies know this, during settlement discussions.
That’s my top 10 list. If you’d like to read more details, check this out.
Text Or Call 24 Hr Attorney Hotline (407) 803-2139
Other Posts I Think Accident Victims Should Read:
Avoid Settlement Mill Law Firms
Don’t Talk To Insurance Agents
The Importance Of Medical Treatment In Car Accident Cases
More Details Re Getting The Most Money From Your Accident Case
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About the Author:
Tina Willis is a serious injury, accident & death lawyer, based in Orlando, Florida, although she accepts cases throughout the states of Florida and Georgia. Ms. Willis has won many prestigious industry awards, best personal injury & car accident lawyer awards, and recovered multi-millions for her clients. She was formerly a law professor, and graduated second in her law school class back in 1997. She formerly worked for some of the largest defense firms in the country, often on multi-million dollar cases. She used to represent large corporations & insurance companies, so she knows their playbook. We are very focused on the highest quality client service, and maximizing the value of every case we handle. We vigorously prosecute serious injury and death cases caused by auto accidents, semi-truck accidents, slip and fall accidents, products & premises liability cases, as well as medical malpractice.