The goal of taking legal action after a serious car accident is to recover the compensation you need to advance a robust recovery and secure financial stability while you focus on regaining your health.
But the process of recovering the compensation you need can be more challenging than initially thought, and the facts of your case could jeopardize your ultimate recovery.
Fortunately, most personal injury cases resolve through settlement. But even then, you have to be careful that you don’t accept an agreement that falls short of meeting your needs.
So, what can you do to get the most out of your personal injury case? Let’s look at some steps you can take to ensure that you’re positioned as strongly as possible to recover the compensation you need and deserve.
Steps to get the most out of your personal injury case
Regardless of whether you hope to resolve your case through negotiation or litigation, you have to be adequately prepared to argue your position.
Only then will you convince others of the compensation you need. With that in mind, here are some steps you can take to advance your case and maximize the compensation you may be able to recover from it:
- Diligently seek medical care: Although you might seek immediate medical care after your accident, you shouldn’t be so quick to write off lingering symptoms or those symptoms that appear long after your accident. Play it safe and go to the doctor. After all, a seemingly minor symptom could be an indication of something much more severe. And you won’t be able to claim damages related to those injuries unless they’re documented in your medical records and a doctor can speak to their causation and severity. So, be sure to see your medical professional and follow any recommendations they provide.
- Track your damages: The harm caused by your car accident can be wide-ranging. You’ll want to capture the full extent of it so that you can advocate full compensation in your case. So, keep all accident-related receipts and invoices, retain medical bills, gather pay stubs, track time off work, and write down how your accident injuries prevent you from engaging in daily activities and participating in the activities you love. The clearer the picture you paint, the better.
- Consider expert testimony: While the hope is that the defense and the jury will take you at your word when it comes to the damages you’ve suffered, this isn’t always the case. Therefore, you might need experts to testify as to the nature and extent of your injuries, your need for ongoing care, and how your injuries will impact your ability to work or advance in your career.
- Defend your own driving actions: To protect themselves in a personal injury lawsuit, the defense is going to try to shift at least some of the blame back onto you. If they can do so, then your recovery could be diminished in light of New Jersey’s comparative negligence law. Therefore, you’ll want to be sure you defend your own driving actions leading up to the accident so that you can reduce the risk of a comparative negligence finding.
Fight to get what you deserve
Your accident injuries could haunt you for a long time to come. To protect your interest and your future as much as possible, you have to get as much out of your personal injury case as you can.
So, be comprehensive in building your case, advocate for what you deserve, and keep an eye on fighting for what you need to reclaim the life that was unfairly stripped from you.