At Connell Law, our South Carolina personal injury attorneys are well versed in representing victims of personal injuries throughout the state. Most personal injury victims just want justice and the compensation that is rightfully owed to them to cover their medical care, lost wages, and other damages. The sad reality is, however, that many people make serious mistakes when pursuing their South Carolina personal injury claims. For this reason, we want to address some of the most common issues that we see in personal injury claims and brain injuries that prevent the victims from obtaining the compensation that they need and deserve.
Common Mistakes Make by Personal Injury Victims
The most common mistake that we see in personal injury claims, especially those involving brain injuries, is that the victims wait to seek medical treatment. The reason that this is such a common occurrence is that the symptoms of brain injuries are frequently not apparent right away. In fact, among the symptoms – confusion – could prevent you from taking stock of your symptoms to begin with; and in some cases, symptoms don’t present themselves for a few days after the incident. Any time you are involved in an accident or receive a blow to your head, you should seek a full medical evaluation as soon as you possibly can, even if you don’t notice immediate symptoms. The sooner you seek treatment, the better off you will be in terms of health and the strength and validity of your personal injury claim.
Another common mistake is for the injured party to apologize for their part in the incident or to accept blame in some way. You may not even intend to do so, but apologizing can make it look like you were at fault. In other cases, you might think that you were at fault, at least partially, but you could be wrong about this, as an investigation may later show. Don’t state or imply that you accept any responsibility for the incident that caused your injuries, as this could be used against you later.
The next important mistake to avoid is waiting too long to talk to an attorney or agreeing to a settlement before discussing it with an attorney. When you act without the advice and guidance of a South Carolina personal injury lawyer, it is easy to make many more mistakes, including settling for less than what your claim is worth or saying something to the insurance company that could end up being held against you later. Once you settle, there’s no going back, and the goal of the insurance company is to convince you to settle for the least amount possible.
Avoiding The Common Mistakes of Personal Injury Victims
In order to avoid these common mistakes that are so frequently made by personal injury victims in South Carolina, there are steps to take and actions to avoid. The very first thing to know is that you should not provide a recorded statement to the insurance company of the liable party. Again, their goal is always going to be to use your words against you, to fool you into accepting a low settlement, or to deny your claim altogether. The best thing you can do is to politely decline to provide a statement without first speaking to an attorney; then, contact an attorney.
Once you’ve obtained the services of a South Carolina personal injury lawyer, it’s important to ensure that you do not keep any information hidden. For example, pre-existing conditions and accidents from the past will eventually all be known and investigated, so it is essential that you provide this information to your attorney, so that he or she will be able to provide the best possible representation. Unlike statements made to an insurance company, the information you provide to your attorney will be confidential and will be used to protect your rights, rather than to exploit you.
If you avoid the common mistakes of South Carolina personal injury victims, work closely with an experienced personal injury attorney in Columbia, SC and provide your attorney with all of the information, then you should be in a much better position to pursue the compensation that you need to get your life back on track after an injury occurs. Call the Connell Law Firm to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how we can help.