As devastating as a personal injury can be, you may not anticipate it will cause as many changes to your life as it will. In fact, a personal injury may change every aspect of your life. Some of them may be positive changes, though, so you should keep an optimistic attitude whenever possible. As you are adjusting to life after your injury, be sure to avoid these common mistakes.
Don’t Shy Away From Doctors
Some people mistakenly think that it’s better to avoid going to the doctor after an injury. They may be worried that the doctor won’t understand the pain they’re in, while others fear that the doctor won’t acknowledge the extent of their injuries. Still others worry that going to the doctor will prevent them from seeking as much from the insurance company as possible.
The truth is that you can harm your chances of receiving adequate compensation for your personal injury if you wait too long to see a doctor. In fact, you need to seek medical attention immediately if possible. Go straight to the hospital or doctor’s office.
Never Stretch the Truth
Many people who are gravely injured may feel entitled to exaggerate just a bit. However, stretching the truth will nearly always come back to bite you when it comes to a personal injury lawsuit. You’re best served by always telling the truth.
However, you also don’t owe the truth right away to anyone who asks. Don’t discuss the situation with your employer or other party who is responsible for your injury before talking to your lawyer. Trust your attorney to guide the way with how much information you should divulge to individuals or organizations.
Don’t Play Detective
Another big mistake that people often make in the aftermath of an accident is to try to solve the problem themselves. They may try to track down the party who was responsible for the injury and dig deep for information. For example, after a car wreck, they may try to look up a person’s home and discern what their lifestyle is like.
You play with fire when you try to act as a detective. A personal injury attorney is experienced and knows which experts to call on to optimize your chances of winning. You may sabotage an ongoing investigation if you try to do the work yourself. If you have questions or concerns about the state of your case or need more information, talk to your attorney about the situation.
Never Blog or Openly Post About the Situation
After you are seriously injured, it’s only natural to want support and sympathy. You deserve every bit of that support. However, seeking it from strangers on the internet isn’t in your best interests. Don’t give in to the temptation to blog about the situation that led to your injury or even update followers on your recovery. Leave all information on it offline.
If you are active on a personal blog or even on social media apps, you don’t have to suddenly disappear. However, you should be very careful about what you post. Making a post that makes light of your injuries or underestimates how severe they are can be taken the wrong way. If it won’t impact your life too much, you may want to take your page down for a few months.
Also, when it comes to social media apps and how you are tagged in pictures, you want to proceed with caution. If someone comes across your social media page and people have posted old photos of you before the injury without explaining when they were taken, it can look like you are faking the injury or worse. Be sure to ask friends not to post photos of you for now.
Don’t Overshare to Others
People are likely to be concerned about how you are doing in the aftermath of an accident. Try not to share too much information with casual acquaintances. You don’t have to be rude, but you also don’t owe anyone an explanation of what’s going on. If you were injured on the job, you should especially try to avoid nosy questions from current or former co-workers.
Plan what you will say if someone asks you a question that makes you uncomfortable or that you feel you shouldn’t answer because of your ongoing case. You may simply choose to change the subject.
Alternately, have something to say such as, “Why are you asking me this?” Although that may sound a little harsh, it also mirrors the person’s social faux pas back to them. You can then lighten the mood with a kind comment or ask them a non-invasive question about lunch.
Finally, talk to your personal injury attorney whenever you’re not sure whether something might impact your case. It’s best to err on the side of caution and be as self-protective as possible in the aftermath of an accident. Contact the Garrison Law Firm today for a free consultation.