The following is a guest post by Virginia Car Accident Attorney Ben Glass:
The initial shock following a car accident isn’t the only thing you have to cope with, as the aftermath from a crash can be just as upsetting and overwhelming.
No one really teaches you what you should and shouldn’t do after an accident. For example, do you give the insurance adjuster a recorded statement or do you hire a lawyer to represent you? What about the settlement offer made by the insurance company – should you accept it? Unfortunately, there are things that you could end up doing or saying that would affect your ability to recover compensation for your injuries.
In my book, Five Deadly Sins That Can Wreck Your Injury Claim, I discuss some of the most common errors that people make and how to avoid them. Below is a brief summary:
- Letting your lawyer refer you to a particular doctor. While there are some exceptions, judges have referred to this practice as “the kiss of death” to a claim. Jurors become very suspicious of lawyer-to-doctor referrals.
- Hiding past accidents from your attorney. The insurance company has access to a database that is going to provide this information, so don’t hide it from your lawyer.
- Hiding previous injuries from your lawyer. The insurance company will review your medical records and you need to disclose previous medical conditions and injuries to the person who is representing you.
- Not having accurate tax returns. Nearly every accident case involves lost income. Your taxes are generally used to back up your claim of lost wages.
- Misrepresenting your level of activity. The insurance company may hire a private investigator to follow you and videotape your activity. Therefore, don’t exaggerate the impact of your injuries.
For more information,you can visit http://www.theaccidentbook.com/.