Personal Injury is defined as an injury to the body, mind, or emotions. Most commonly claimed accidents are traffic accidents, work accidents, and slip and fall accidents. Many cases are settled out of court, through negotiation of your personal injury attorney. Your attorney will do everything possible for you to get the best settlement, and here are 5 tips to maximize your settlement.
#1: Act Fast
There is a statute of limitations of 1 year for all Tennessee personal injury lawsuits. After 1 year, you are unable to file your lawsuit. This is also important because after a while, documents can get lost, which could help your case. It is advised that you seek counsel as soon as possible after personal injury, because all evidence is present and fresh, including your testimony. You can even call an attorney at the accident scene or at the hospital.
#2 Seek Medical Attention
The documents received from the hospital and doctors will help your case. They will also give follow-up instructions, such as see your Primary Care Physician. Continue to seek medical attention from your PCP until you are completely healed. Do not stop your care prematurely. It may get tiresome continuing to visit physicians, but you don’t want to end your lawsuit and still experience medical issues. You are unable to reopen your case later to get more money.
#3: Keep Track of All Documents & Take Pictures
Take pictures of the accident scene immediately, if you can. If you cannot, ask someone near you to use your phone to do so. If the accident scene has surveillance cameras, you can request a tape of the footage from the establishment that owns the camera. Each time you go to see a doctor about your injury from the accident, keep the records to be used in your case. All monies you pay for co-pays, loss of wages (if you are employed), and any other hardships you face because of the accident need to be documented. Create a folder to maintain all of the paperwork, and present it to your attorney.
#4: Research An Attorney
Commercials can be very misleading, and make everyone look like a great candidate. Only you will know which personal injury attorney will work well for you. Don’t make a quick decision that could cost you thousands of dollars in your settlement. You want to have an attorney who you can converse with if you have any questions about your case. Your attorney should also discuss your options for your settlement.
#5 Be Honest
You will need to be honest with yourself and with your attorney. Do not fib about your injuries or what caused the accident. This is fraud and can dismiss your entire lawsuit. Also, being honest with yourself, you will probably not get a six-figure settlement from whiplash. This is where tip #4 is intertwined. Having a good personal injury attorney will let you know their professional opinion on your settlement.
You are not guaranteed any amount of a settlement. Your personal injury attorney will work with you to get you the best possible options available.
