The Do’s and Don’ts of Building a Car Accident Claim in Newark
Best Practices for Building a Car Accident Claim in Newark
A serious car accident can derail your life in the blink of an eye. Instead of waking up to your normal routines—the early morning commute, the school run, the errands—you could be staring down a long road to recovery, a thousand painful steps between you and a return to normality.
During this challenging chapter, the payout from a personal injury claim could make all the difference, giving you the funds to pay for the treatment you need and make up for lost income and other accident-related damages. However, to receive compensation, you will need to make sure that you don’t do anything that might sink your chances of achieving a successful outcome.
In this article, we share a few of our do’s and don’ts for building a personal injury case:
Do Take Your Recovery Seriously
After you’ve received treatment, your doctor may tell you to take certain steps to avoid exacerbating your injuries. While you might think he or she is being overly cautious—especially if they’ve instructed you to book weeks off of work to let your injuries heal—you should never deviate from your treatment plan. Going against your doctor’s orders could lead to disputes over liability potentially leaving you on the hook for a portion of your damages.
Don’t Stay Active on Social Media
The world is changing at a rapid pace, and so too are the ways in which insurers investigate claims. The claims adjuster’s search is no longer just limited to the accident scene and your medical records, but may also extend to the digital space.
From the pictures you upload to your comments to even your “check-ins”, your online activity may be put under the microscope as the insurer looks for anything that could be used as evidence to dispute your claim. In most situations, it’s best to disable your social media accounts while your claim is pending. However, if this isn’t possible in your situation, you should at least update your privacy settings so that only approved friends and followers can view what you post.
Do Track of Your Damages Carefully
In a personal injury claim, you can only recover compensation for losses you can prove. As such, you will need to be diligent about keeping track of your damages. Whether it pertains to invoices for home modifications, receipts for trips to and from the hospital, or pay stubs demonstrating lost wages at work, you should make copies of these documents and compile them in a safe place.
Don’t Provide a Recorded Statement
At least not until you’ve had a chance to investigate the accident. While the insurance company might assure you that they just want to hear your side of the story, these interviews are often deliberately intended to elicit specific responses that could be used against you to reduce your settlement or deny your claim. If you haven’t yet conducted an in-depth investigation and assessed your losses, you risk saying something that’s either inaccurate or untrue, potentially leading to disputes later down the line. When you hire an attorney to handle your claim, they can usually oversee all dialogue with opposing parties on your behalf.
Discuss Your Case with a New Jersey Car Accident Attorney Who Can Assist with Your Car Accident Claim in Newark
Injured in a wreck? Turn to the legal team at the Clark Law Firm to discuss your options. We can review your case as part of a free consultation, and—if you choose to hire us—provide tenacious representation from the first day until the final verdict. Need assistance with your car accident claim in Newark or surrounding areas in Essex County? Contact us today at 877-841-8855 or visit our contact page HERE to schedule a case review with one of our NJ car accident attorneys.