subject: What To Do - And What Not To Do - If You Are The Victim Of A Personal Injury [print this page] If somebody is responsible for injuring another party, he or she is legally expected to fix the situation. In legal terms, the "fix" is usually comes in the form of "damages" that are given to the injured party.
Sometimes the initial amount of the damages offered in a settlement is accepted by the injured party. If this is the case, the plaintiff will receive restitution through an insurance company or a private settlement.
At other times, the plaintiff will feel the settlement offer falls short of what the true compensation should be for his or her losses. For cases such as this, a settlement amount will usually be resolved in court.
If you are ever the victim of a personal injury, there are a number of things that you should do - and some that you should not - in order to protect yourself and to enhance the possibility that you will be able to be fully compensated for the damages caused by the personal injury you suffered.
What to Do If You Are the Victim of a Personal Injury
Get medical attention.
Contact all of the proper authorities. This includes your insurance company.
Speak to an attorney who specializes in personal injury law.
Under the attorney's advice, you should act relatively quickly. There are statutes of limitations in all 50 states which define the amount of time a person has to file a personal injury case.
Do not talk about your case with any strangers.
Do not talk about your case with any representatives from the defendant's insurance companies.
Cooperate with medical professionals, your insurance company, and the police.
What Not to Do If You Are the Victim of a Personal Injury
Do not give any statements of any kind - this means verbal, written or recorded - about your accident to anyone without your legal counsel first approving it.
Do not change any contact information, including your phone number, address, employment etc., without first speaking with your attorney.
Do not give any incomplete, incorrect or false statements to any medical professional who is treating you. If you don't remember something, do not be afraid to admit that you do not remember it.
If you (or your property) are the victim of an injury that was caused by someone else's negligence, carelessness or recklessness, you may be entitled to a considerable amount of compensation. In order to maximize your potential settlement or award, doesn't it make sense to have a successful attorney who specializes in personal injury settlements represent you?