As a personal injury attorney who has been helping victims of car wreck, motorcycles crashes and other accidents since 1991, I know that there plenty of mistakes that people make following an accident. You've got to remember that in order to be successful in your claim for compensation; you must take care to fulfill all of your duties as a personal injury victim.
One thing which is incredibly important is telling your doctor every part of your body that hurts following your accident. This might seem simple enough, but it is easy to forget to mention something once you're in the doctor's office. It can be quite an intimidating experience, so I always recommend that you make a list before you go. Be as thorough as possible. Give us much detail as possible. If you forget to mention something in that initial visit, it could spell disaster for your claim later on.
Imagine, for example, that you've been injured in a traffic collision when the car behind rear-ended you. You go to the doctor and he starts focusing on the pain in your neck, worried that it's whiplash. So you send the whole time talking about that, meaning you neglect to tell him about the soreness in your back which was also caused by the impact. Don't assume that it's no big deal just because it doesn't hurt that much right now. Tell the doctor anyway. Make sure he writes it down so that it is on your medical record. This is very important, because once your neck injuries heal, that back injury could still be there. It could get worse over time and it might require significant treatment which would be quite costly. If you don't tell the doctor on your first visit after the accident, you've given the insurance company an opportunity to argue that your back injury had nothing to do with the accident, so that they can avoid having to pay you for your treatment.
Always make sure that you tell the doctor everything that hurts after your accident. It doesn't matter how minor or insignificant it might be - make sure you tell your doctor so that it will be on your record just in case it gets worse over time. Make sure you have everything documented as that is the evidence the insurance company and your personal injury lawyer will be using when determining the full scale of the damages you are entitled to.
To learn more about mistakes to be avoided when treating for injuries sustained in an auto collision or any other kind of accident, please contact us to request a free copy of PI lawyer Mark Anderson's book 15 Mistakes That Will Wreck Your Texas Accident Claim.
For a free consultation on your personal injury case, please call the Anderson Law Firm toll free at 800-354-MARK (6275) or call local at 817-294-1900 in Fort Worth, or 214-327-8000 in Dallas.
Mark Anderson has been practicing personal injury law since 1991 and is recognised as one of the best attorneys in his field.
Mark is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization – a distinction held by fewer than 2% of Texas lawyers. He was selected as a life member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum as recognition for his success in recovering compensation for his clients. He has been honored with the prestigious AV Rating by the Martindale Hubbard System and has been rated 10/10 (the highest level possible) by the AVVO Rating System which ranks attorneys based on experience, conduct and industry recognition. Mark was selected as a Top Personal Injury Attorney by Fort Worth Magazine in 2009 and 2010.
For more information about Mark, see his biography.
