What Should I Do After Suffering a Personal Injury in Nashville?
People who have been involved in accidents often worry about the actions they take (or fail to take) following a personal injury caused by someone else’s negligence. These concerns are legitimate, as your post-injury actions, or lack thereof, can significantly affect the outcome of personal injury lawsuits and the amount a law firm can recover on your behalf.
Seek medical attention immediately
After sustaining an injury, you might not experience severe physical pain right away. Regardless of the initial pain level, it’s vital to seek medical assistance by visiting a doctor or heading to the emergency room. This step serves both to address your health needs and to officially document your injuries. In most personal injury cases, medical records are essential evidence to demonstrate your injury and the resulting damages. Without these records to support your claims, pursuing compensation through an injury attorney or your insurance company can become very challenging.
Never admit fault after an accident and refrain from social media
Accident victims often fall into the trap of apologizing or acknowledging fault either to the other party involved or the insurance adjuster. This is a significant error that can have costly consequences. Any admission of fault can be exploited by the insurance company to diminish your claim. Therefore, it’s crucial never to concede fault to anyone, as it could jeopardize your case. Also, exercise caution when posting on social media concerning your injuries or anything that could suggest you’re less injured than you actually are. Social media posts have been used against personal injury victims in the past, leading to reductions or even the dismissal of otherwise valid claims.
Document the accident scene as much as possible
A skilled personal injury attorney can leverage the evidence you gather to bolster your claim. In cases like medical malpractice, it might not be feasible to document a specific “scene,” but your medical records and any notes you’ve taken can prove valuable.
For claims related to car accidents, you may have the opportunity for more comprehensive scene documentation. If the chance arises, consider the following steps:
- Capture as many photos and videos as possible of the scene and your injuries.
- Collect witness statements and their contact information.
When you hire an injury law firm, your attorney can also assist in uncovering evidence that you may not have initially considered or had immediate access to. This includes items like traffic camera footage, doorbell recordings, and other materials that can illustrate how the incident happened.
Contact an experienced Nashville injury lawyer
Contacting an experienced accident attorney as soon as possible is very important. When you hire an attorney early on, things such as evidence gathering and witness interviews are often conducted immediately, which means that your claim can be built on fresh documentation, rather than witnesses who may not remember all of the events. Some forms of vital evidence can also decay over time.
Additionally, in most injury claims, you need to adhere to the statute of limitations, which requires that your claim be filed properly, and timely, within the regulations of the law. If you do not file a claim within the statute time period, you may lose your right to pursue compensation for your injuries.
Let an experienced injury law firm handle the insurance company so that you can take this time to focus on getting better.