Photo by Karolina Grabowska from PexelsIn the aftermath of serious car accidents, victims tend to be singularly focused on keeping up with doctor’s visits, how to return to work and family life, and other immediate concerns.
Although it’s essential to receive fair compensation, the last thing on your mind as a victim is how to pay for your medical treatment. Often, working with a Northern New Jersey car accident attorney is the easiest way to ensure that your car accident settlement covers your expenses so you can move forward with your life.
I’ll tell you more below, as well as when a lawyer at Buttafuoco & Associates can help.
1. Stick to Your Treatment Plan
It may seem obvious sticking to the treatment plan your doctor has laid out after a major auto accident is a must, but exhaustion and stress frequently lead to missed appointments, a failure to take medications, or skipping physical therapy.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the demands of medical treatment, try to keep in mind that getting a generous car accident settlement depends on keeping good records and maintaining complete documentation of medical attention received.
Keeping your doctors and nurses apprised of your pain levels and other symptoms will also work in your favor, as this information will appear in your medical records and be useful in ascertaining compensation.
Additionally, keeping photos and a written log of your injuries throughout the healing process can help support your car accident claim. In particular, make sure to take photos immediately after the accident, or to delegate this responsibility to someone with you.
Having good documentation is especially important if you end up needing to work with a car accident attorney in Northern New Jersey: it is what your lawyer will use to build your case. Even if you don’t hire a personal injury lawyer, your insurance company can easily deny your claim if you don’t seek medical attention immediately or complete required treatments because it makes it easy for them to argue that your injuries from the car crash are not as serious as you claimed.
In the state of New Jersey, if you want to file a lawsuit outside of your insurance settlement, your injuries must also qualify as serious under New Jersey law, and again, having medical documentation is key.
How to Qualify as a Serious Injury
In order qualify your injuries as serious in NJ you must prove that you have experienced at least one of the following:
- Death
- Dismemberment
- Serious disfigurement
- Significant scarring
- Displaced fractured
- Loss of fetus
- Other permanent injury
Proving serious injury can be challenging. If you are unsure whether or not your injuries are serious, a car accident lawyer at Buttafuoco & Associates can help.
We offer free consultations to help victims understand their legal rights.
2. Be Careful What You Say
Whether you’re posting on social media, talking to a close friend, or discussing your claim with your insurance adjuster, remember: anything you say can work against you.
As soon as you file a police report for your claim, the insurance adjuster will request that you allow them to record a statement. Remember: you do not have to do this under law, and should avoid it at all costs. Even a passing comment could be used against you to show, for example, that you are partially responsible for your injuries.
Additionally, resist the urge to post on social media about your accident. In particular, avoid posting photos of yourself doing activities that suggest you are not as injured as you have claimed.
It’s also key to remember that even a close friend can be called upon by your insurance company or the other parties involved in the lawsuit to make a statement. Remember that others can check both your and your friends’ and family members’ accounts, so make sure that photo of you tossing a baseball with your nephew stays in your phone.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Negotiate
An insurance company will almost always try to get you to accept a settlement quickly–and it will never fail to be a lower amount than what you need. Insurance adjusters have been trained in specific tactics, so they know how to pressure and persuade victims to accept an offer. They may say it will be impossible for you to get more than a certain amount, or that you must accept the offer immediately.
Neither of these is true, so you must hold them off until you fully understand your injuries and how much your hospital bills will cost. Only ongoing healthcare can give you the answer to these questions, so do not accept a settlement until you are certain it will cover your expenses.
Once you’ve accepted a settlement, your claim is closed and cannot be revisited.
Accepting a settlement too soon is the most common mistake I see injury victims making, and it has the power to significantly disrupt your life. The best plan is to discuss your case with an experienced Northern New Jersey car accident lawyer and have them work alongside you to determine and maximize your compensation.
It is likely that you’ll forget certain expenses or financial losses you’ve incurred, or not realize that you can include certain expenses in your claim. A good attorney can help jog your memory and make sure you claim all expenses you are entitled to.
4. Work with a Lawyer
Buttafuoco & Associates is a group of car accident attorneys specifically serving Northern New Jersey. We believe in treating all of our clients like family and fighting to help them receive the compensation they need to make a full recovery.
If you have questions about your case, get in touch with us for a complimentary consultation. We can help you understand your legal rights, estimate a settlement, and answer your most pressing questions about your case.
Call us at 1-800-NOW-HURT.
