Large truck wrecks can be incredibly devastating, leaving victims to grapple with life-changing injuries and serious financial challenges. If you were hurt in an accident involving one of these vehicles, you are probably considering filing a personal injury claim to recover compensation for the losses you’ve suffered.
However, a payout is never a foregone conclusion. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the accident, you could face stiff resistance from the trucking company and their insurer. Be warned: Making any mistakes in the wake of a wreck could hand ammunition to opposing parties to deny your claim, so it’s important that you consider your actions carefully.
In this article, we look at a few common errors you should avoid while your case is pending:
1. Postponing a Diagnosis
While you may have been able to walk away from the wreck, it’s crucial that you visit the doctor right away. Many serious conditions might not show symptoms within the first few hours, so undergoing a medical assessment immediately could potentially prevent further health complications.
Additionally, taking this important step will ensure you have access to a paper trail of evidence documenting your injuries, treatment, and recovery. Scheduling an appointment within a reasonable timeframe will also demonstrate that you took your recovery seriously, reducing your risks of facing disputes over failure to mitigate damages.
2. Posting About the Wreck Online
Friends and family can provide much-needed support in the aftermath of a wreck, but it’s important that you keep your conversations offline. As the insurer will be looking for any evidence to dispute your claim, they might monitor your social media profiles for any posts that could be used as proof to challenge your credibility. Remember that this fact-finding mission isn’t just limited to your comments, but could also include photographs, videos, reviews, and even check-ins.
3. Failing to Track Your Damages
Regardless of whether you are filing a first- or third-party personal injury claim, you will need to provide evidence of the losses you’ve incurred. Without access to receipts, invoices, and estimates, the insurer will likely deny you compensation for the associated losses. As such, you should make copies of any relevant financial documents as these will almost always play an important role during proceedings.
Examples of the types of documents you might need could include:
- Estimates for repairs;
- Invoices for medical care;
- Paystubs, letters from your employer, and tax returns showing lost income;
- Bills for your medical treatments;
- Personal injury journal entries documenting your daily struggles in the wake of the wreck; and
- Receipts for any necessary replacement services.
4. Accepting the Insurer’s First Offer
With your costs adding up at a rapid rate, it might be tempting to accept the insurance company’s first offer so that you can start paying off your medical debts and other expenses. However, until you’ve reached maximum medical improvement—the point at which your injuries won’t improve with further treatment—it’s crucial that you don’t agree to a settlement.
Ultimately, without a clear idea of the full extent of your damages, you cannot be certain that the insurer’s offer will cover all the losses stemming from the wreck. An attorney can not only help assess the insurer’s offer to determine whether it is fair or not but can also take stock of your damages and consult with expert witnesses if necessary to help approximate fair compensation.
Speak to a Truck Accident Attorney in Detroit Today
If you were injured in an accident involving a truck or another kind of commercial vehicle, turn to the attorneys at Seva Law Firm to find out whether you have grounds to seek compensation. Our legal team has decades of combined experience representing injury victims, helping our clients recover more than $100,000,000 in settlements and verdicts. Reach out to us at (248) 385-5704 or jump to our contact page HERE to request a free consultation with a Detroit truck accident attorney.
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