Missouri Injury Attorney Blog

Common Mistakes Honest People Make After an Auto Accident or Injury

In any situation in life, there exists many possible ways in which to make a mistake. My son has a favorite saying when trying anything new: If you can't make a mistake, you can't make anything. Any lawyer that has tried a case to a jury knows that mistakes are part of the landscape. The key is to avoid the big mistakes and limit the mistakes to situations where the mistakes can be fixed. Here are five common mistakes accident victims make that hurt their cases and can and should be avoided:

#1 Thinking the insurance company and their investigators, adjusters, and lawyers are on your side and looking out for you best interest. Wrong!! Many honest Missourians project their sensibilities onto those in the insurance business. Not that I am bashing the insurance industry on this point. The insurance companies have a clear mission: MAKE MONEY! The truth is, insurance companies want to limit your financial recovery and try to keep you from hiring a lawyer. Why? Simply put, to save themselves money. They know if you get a lawyer you are more likely to get full compensation for your injuries and that you will end up with more money in your pocket than if you did not hire a lawyer. Remember this: Insurance companies make more money when they pay you less money.

#2 Putting off seeking the advice of an experienced personal injury lawyer is another mistake. My law firm will give you advice regardless of whether we take or case. By seeking a consultation the attorney/client relationship is formed and we look out for you and your family whether you hire us, another attorney or go at it alone. It is better to talk with a lawyer and not hire one, then to seek no advice and stumble through your one chance to obtain some kind of justice.

#3 Not getting necessary and needed treatment for your injuries. I have heard many reasons why people who are really injured in an accident don’t get medical treatment and I understand the financial burden and time constraints. Maybe you can’t afford it, maybe you don’t have time to get to the doctor’s office, but not getting treatment prevents you from healing and that hurts your family more in the long run.
Not getting appropriate treatment also hurts your case. Insurance companies often argue that if you did not get treatment you must not have been hurt. Please go to your doctor and discuss the full details of your injuries.

#4 Not telling your doctor about all of your medical problems. Doctors are like lawyers in many ways in that they need all the information available to make the best decisions to help you. I would never advice my clients to keep information from me, their lawyer. Accordingly, I advise my clients to tell all to their doctors and other health care providers.

#5 Giving a recorded or informal statement, signing a release or allowing the insurance company to get your medical records and bills without FIRST consulting with a lawyer. Many insurance companies will tell you that you must give them a recorded statement or they will not be able to settle your case. This is SIMPLY FALSE. The insurance company for the driver that hit you has no right to a recorded statement and is only trying to get your statement so that they can use it to serve their best interest and remember what that is: to pay you less so they can keep more!

Contact David Payne Attorney for more advice on how to handle your accident claim and protect your rights.

I look forward to hearing from you!