After suffering a catastrophic injury, you want to receive proper compensation for your pain, suffering, and financial loss. This is why you must do your best to get maximum compensation for the injury sustained due to someone else’s negligence. Being fairly compensated will be integral in helping you achieve full recovery.
However, receiving fair compensation isn’t a walk in the park because the defendant will do their best to ensure they pay you the least amount required. That said, this article outlines a guide on how to maximize compensation for your injuries. Read on.
1. Preserve All The Evidence
After being involved in an accident that causes you to suffer catastrophic injuries, the first thing you should do is to preserve all the evidence. Doing this is crucial as it will help in your quest to receive personal injury compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Preserving all evidence means keeping all the documents and records created since then, be it photos or videos.
Generally, some of the evidence relating to the accident that you should gather includes;
- Photos of any injuries and damage done to you due to the accident and any property damage at the time of the accident are vital.
- Medical reports, such as X-rays, diagnostic reports, prescription medication, and medical treatments, must be gathered. You also should include any other relevant medical reports by doctors who treated you after the accident.
- Witness statements by persons who saw the catastrophic event happen.
- A police report if you were involved in a car accident.
- A copy of recordings from CCTV cameras closely recorded the tragic accident.
You should also keep track of all receipts and records related to claims filed against you by other parties involved in the incident.
2. Seek Proper Medical Treatment
Seeking immediate medical treatment is crucial because it allows you to receive proper medical attention immediately. If you wait too long, your injury may worsen, especially if your injuries are severe or could lead to further complications later on down the road.
Furthermore, getting immediate medical treatment from a qualified medical doctor may help support your claim and boost your chances of fair compensation through medical reports that show the extent of your injuries. Ideally, this must be done as soon as possible after the accident. This is because, aside from worsening your injury, waiting too long may make it more difficult to prove that you suffered an injury due to the accident. Additionally, remember to get treatment from a qualified medical doctor as they can help accurately determine the extent of your injuries.
3. Track Your Expenses
After suffering a personal injury due to a catastrophic accident, it’s crucial to record all the financial losses you’ve suffered. This helps you know how much this disastrous event has cost you. But remembering all this can be difficult. So, it’s best to track and record all these expenses. Remember to record receipts separately.
Besides keeping a record of all receipts and expenses related to your injury claim, make sure to record them in chronological order so you can easily see what happened and when. Some of the financial details you need to record include:
- Travel costs to and from the hospital to receive treatment
- Medical expenses, such as prescription medicine, medical fees, and diagnostic procedures and tests
- Repair costs of the destroyed property after the accident
- Cost of domestic assistance you need to help you before you can manage to do house chores by yourself
- Costs for personal assistive gadgets to help you work independently after your accident
These records will help you prove that you’ve suffered significant financial losses. They’ll also be used in your settlement negotiations with an insurance company, which may be willing to offer you more money if they feel that their company paid out too little in the past.
4. Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer
One of the first steps to maximize compensation following an accident is hiring a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney. There are various benefits of hiring a lawyer. For one, thanks to their experience, this professional knows how best to represent you as their client during a personal injury case. The lawyer understands best what to do to increase the chances of getting compensated for the injuries you’ve suffered.
An excellent personal injury lawyer will also help you determine if you have a case worth pursuing. For example, suppose your injuries aren’t severe enough to qualify for compensation but are still painful and bothersome. In that case, a good lawyer can help you find other ways to seek compensation for your losses. A personal injury lawyer will also tell you about your rights and better understand what steps to take next, including filing your claim with the insurance company. They’ll also be able to represent you in court and negotiate on your behalf if necessary.
Personal injury lawyers understand the process of a personal injury claim. They can help you know what you need to do, including taking pictures of the injuries, getting medical records, and filing a claim with insurance companies. They’ll also explain how insurance companies work and what type of coverage they have for claims like yours.
In addition, they’ll explain all of your options. This will help you when it comes to the time to decide which is the best option based on your unique situation, whether to settle with an insurance company or take them to trial.
5. File Your Compensation Case Quickly
You must file a personal injury lawsuit as soon as possible to boost your chances of receiving compensation. It’s also a legal requirement to do so within a recommended time frame, which will help you build a solid compensation case for your injuries. Otherwise, the longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes to get fair compensation for your injuries.
Filing for compensation as soon as possible is crucial because your injury by the time of filing for compensation might not appear serious enough to merit compensation. As a result, you may be denied your full entitlement and left with nothing. With this in mind, you must never delay filing your claim or risk being denied the compensation you’re entitled to receive.
6. Do Not Underestimate Your Claim
You can also get the maximum settlement for your injury claim by not underestimating your claim. This is a mistake most victims make, only to realize later they weren’t fairly compensated. Therefore, you need to understand your rights and what you can expect from your case during this time. This is why you need to hire a personal injury lawyer if you have uncertainties.
Usually, many people assume that because their injury wasn’t as severe or traumatic as others, they shouldn’t receive nearly as much compensation. However, you shouldn’t make such an assumption and must always seek maximum compensation even if you’ve only suffered a minor injury. This way, the insurance company will take your claim a lot more seriously, hence will be compliant to pay and offer fair compensation for your injuries.
7. Stay Off Social Media
Although social media is a great way to keep up with friends and family, it’s the last place you should go to post matters relating to your catastrophic accident or injuries. This is because anything you post on social media can be used in a court of law against you. If you have a case against another party, they may use posts like these against you in court to discredit you.
This is why you must be cautious when posting photos or videos of yourself or others around your accident. Otherwise, you might be giving the opposing counsel evidence they can use to challenge your compensation claim. You also shouldn’t include personal information, such as names or phone numbers, that could help identify witnesses or other people involved in an incident. In addition, don’t include any video footage showing something else that can be used against you in courts, such as a weapon being brandished or other dangerous activity taking place during the accident.
8. Be Patient
You can only maximize compensation for injuries suffered by always being patient. This is because settlements for substantial sums of money often take a long time. Therefore, you shouldn’t be in a rush to be compensated or receive a much lower sum than what you’re entitled to. Also, you shouldn’t accept the first offer outright if it doesn’t meet your minimum expectations. Make sure to involve your lawyer in all this as they’re experienced to know when the compensation offered is adequate.
Takeaways
You must take action to help you get proper compensation for your injuries after a catastrophic accident. But this isn’t easy because insurance companies are in business to make money, so they’re always looking to pay the least possible payout. This guide has outlined the helpful tips that can help you receive proper compensation, which will be more than enough to help you in your journey towards full recovery.
