Serving Personal Injury and Worker’s Compensation Clients across New Jersey and Pennsylvania with offices in Trenton, Bensalem, and Philadelphia
Being involved in any kind of accident, whether it be a construction accident, auto accident, motorcycle accident, slip and fall, or any other kind of accident, can be a traumatic experience. When that accident results in injury, and you have to deal with an insurance company in order to recover compensation, the experience becomes even more stressful still.
However, there are a number of things you can do to help manage this process, reduce stress, and be more confident that you will recover the compensation you need and deserve for the injuries you have sustained.
Seek Prompt Medical Treatment after an Accident
Even if you believe you are un-injured after an accident, there are many different kinds of injuries which can take time to manifest themselves. Brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and internal bleeding can sometimes take days or weeks to become apparent, so even a cautionary visit to the doctor after an accident can reveal these injuries long before they begin to impact your life. Additionally, for the purpose of recovering compensation, the sooner you seek medical treatment and discover any injuries you may have sustained, the easier it will become for your Mercer County injury attorney to prove the link between your accident and your injuries, a vital component of the recovery process.
Hire a Mercer County Injury Attorney
Most personal injury attorneys work on contingency, meaning they pay for all of the expenses of the personal injury process, and only take payment should they make a recovery. The insurance company has a team of professionals working for it, there is no reason you shouldn’t too. Your attorney will be able to advise you on the great many pitfalls and complexity of the personal injury process, and prevent you from making important errors during the process which could jeopardize your claim.
Don’t Speak with the Insurance Adjuster
Many insurance adjusters seem friendly and personable, but remember that at the end of the day they are working to minimize whatever compensation you are entitled to. Luckily, once you have hired an attorney, insurance companies legally cannot contact you without going through your attorney, and an experienced attorney will be able to protect you from saying or doing anything which could work against you.
Don’t Sign any Documents without an Attorney
There are certain documents that insurance companies are legally allowed to secure during the recovery process, but as we all know reading the fine print is extremely important, and your attorney is trained and experienced in doing exactly that. Do not sign any documents the insurance company provides you without first having your attorney review them and discuss your legal options with you.
Record and Document as Much as You Can
Take pictures of anything you might think would be relevant to your accident. Pictures of any visible injuries you may have, pictures of the scene of the accident, pictures of any physical objects at the scene of your accident which may be relevant. Furthermore, keep copies of all your medical bills, insurance policy information, correspondence with the insurance company, police records and reports related to your accident, and any other related papers. Keep a record of your injuries on a day to day basis, the level of pain you are experiencing or how your injuries may have interfered with your work, daily routine, and family or leisure time. Share all of this information with your attorney.
Be Honest About Your Injuries
If you exaggerate your injuries or their affect on your life, chances are the insurance company will find out one way or another, and use your exaggeration against you. If the insurance company can demonstrate that you are inventing or playing up the seriousness of your injuries, it can be devastating to the success of your case.
Be Honest About Your Accident
The more your attorney knows about what happened, the better. Often it can be difficult to share private or embarrassing information with a stranger, but if that information comes as a surprise to your attorney during the claims process, it can be much more damaging to your claim than if you had just shared it with them in the first place. Additionally, if you believe you had some role to play in causing your accident, your attorney needs to know this as well. Comparative negligence laws still allow parties who are partially at-fault for their accident to still recover compensation, but the more your attorney knows, and the sooner, the better for the success of your case.
Don’t Accept any Initial Settlement Offers
Many times insurance companies will offer a settlement offer as soon as you file your claim. This can often be before you even understand the full affects your injury will have on your life, and this offer is almost always lower than what you actually deserve, and need. Furthermore, as soon as you accept a settlement, your case will be closed, and cannot be re-opened later should you discover that the offer you accepted was not fair to you. Be patient, wait for your attorney to thoroughly investigate your case, and put together a strong and compelling case which will result in you recovering full and fair compensation.
Contact Our Mercer County Accident and Injury Attorneys Today
At The Law Office of Cohen & Riechelson, our attorneys have extensive experience recovering compensation for clients across Trenton, Princeton, Lawrence, Hamilton, and the greater Mercer County area.
Our firm is results-oriented, and over the course of the last 30 years we have built a reputation as tenacious and skilled litigators who don’t accept settlements that are just “good enough”. Insurance companies know this, and, as such, know they will need to treat our clients fairly and with respect.
Our personal injury team is lead by a New Jersey Certified Civil Trial Attorney. We believe in working closely with our clients, and that by keeping them informed and involved throughout the legal process, we can understand their exact needs and concerns, and work to secure the outcome which best meets those needs and concerns.
To speak with our firm today in a free and confidential consultation regarding your accident injuries and options for recovering compensation, please contact us online, or through our Hamilton, NJ office at (609) 528-2596.
