It’s a pity, but it happened. At some point during your life, you may suffer an injury. While we hope not, it may even be quite serious. Uncomfortable at the best of times, such an injury can cause all kinds of problems and hassles, from medical bills, to taking time off to recover, to trying to live life as you normally would with the injury. However, there are a number of other actions you may be tempted to take if you find yourself hurting.
We’ll list a few things for you Don’t want to do if you’ve been injured after an accident. After all, in such a situation, it’s easy to make a decision that could actually cause more harm than good.
1). Let It Glide
We appreciate your humility. We really do. But at the same time, pretending that the accident never happened and trying to hide it under the rug won’t do you any good. You just got hurt. There are dozens of things you can do to make things easier for you if you’re willing to be a little bit naughty about it. No one will object, we promise you. After what you’ve been through, most people will agree that it’s your right to make a small complaint or two.
Doing so can not only result in compensation to help with medical bills, if the injury was caused by some sort of oversight or negligence (such as the fall of an unstable shelf on you), then it will prompt further action to be taken to prevent it. . This means no one else, and probably you again, needs to be in the same accident.
2). Apologize
If you’re sure the accident wasn’t your fault, try not to apologize and hold back too much. Likewise, avoid the temptation to accept some sort of shared responsibility. Again that is the natural response of those who are humble and don’t like to make a scene, but any admission of responsibility on your part could do you great harm if you decide to take your injury to claims court. By showing that you accepted at least part of the blame for the crash, you may receive a much lower settlement than you otherwise would have. If you accept anything.
We’re not saying that you should be rude, shut up, or that you shouldn’t say “I’m sorry” about situations in general. But be careful how you say you’re sorry For.
3). Avoid Notifying Your Insurance Company or the Police
As soon as you are able, report your accident or injury to your insurance broker and, if necessary, to the police. Forget about losing your no-claim bonus, because the whole point of your insurance is that you can claim it in the event of an injury. If you decide to take the matter to small claims court, you’ll need some kind of evidence as to when the incident occurred, details obtained, and some sort of neutral third-party account to help your case. Likewise, your insurance broker won’t pay you if you wait too long after an accident to file a claim.
4). Avoid Going to Hospital
Another thing to avoid is not going to the hospital. For one thing, they can better assess the damage caused by an injury and help you recover. Another important thing is that you need a written document confirming the injuries suffered as a result of the accident so that compensation can be calculated. Depending on how you were injured, the amount you might win in a settlement can vary from a few hundred to a few tens of thousands.
Also, in claims court, questions may be asked if you wait too long after an accident to go to the hospital. The accused might claim that, given that you could have waited so long before going for treatment, your injuries clearly could not have been that serious. This will greatly reduce how much you can expect to win if anything.
5). Forgot to Gather Evidence
Easy to do in the heat, but must be done anyhow. As soon as you can after the accident, get as much evidence as possible. Take photos of your injury and the area where the accident occurred, especially any aggravating signs such as improperly maintained safety measures or obvious signs of neglect. Get contact details of witnesses as well, especially employees if in business. They may say something you can use during your later claim.
Remember: doctor and police reports, and any business accident records are invaluable in helping substantiate your claim in court. Make sure you don’t forget to ask for a copy.
If you find yourself getting hurt, please don’t do any of the above as it will only hurt you in the long run. If seeking legal action is something you need to do, make sure you work with an attorney who will best equip you and your lawsuit. If you’re not sure, take advantage of the free consultation that most law firms offer, such as at Hell’s Lawto ensure that you receive the correct representation for your case.
