1. Failing to get medical treatment for your Cleveland personal injury either by going to the emergency room, urgent care center, or by seeing a doctor. You obviously want to make sure you are okay and even if you feel okay there could still be serious issues. Documentation that you have received medical treatment, what your conditions are, and what future treatment you might need is critical to your personal injury claim whether it’s a car accident, dog bite, or trip and fall.
2. Not documenting or keeping track of information. Write what happened with your Cleveland personal injury as soon as you can after the injury. Create a file and store such things as photographs of your injuries, medical records, receipts, reports from authorities, letters from the insurance company, and any other relevant information. You will want to write down names and telephone numbers of witnesses. If you hire a Cleveland personal injury attorney all this information will be extremely helpful.
3. Not taking photographs. Don’t overlook this easy thing. Almost everyone has a cell phone camera these days. Take photographs of the condition that caused your Cleveland Personal Injury and of your injury. Photographs should also be taken along the way as your injury heals so that any disfigurement and scarring is accurately recorded. These photographs will help your Cleveland Personal Injury attorneys argue to the insurance company or the court that your injury is a serious one,
4. Not notifying the authorities. This could be the police, the animal warden or a local animal control officer, or property manager or manager of a location. The authorities can help in getting witness statements and in investigating the circumstances of your Cleveland personal injury.
5. Telling a lie. Always tell the truth. Do not exaggerate what happened or say something about your Cleveland personal injury that isn’t true. If you give statements to authorities or medical personnel that can later be contradicted your claim will likely be seriously damaged. When you talk about your injury—even to co-workers and family—be extremely careful. You have a right to be upset, but not to make unfounded accusations.
6. Giving a statement to an insurance company. They do not have your best interest at heart. Insurance company will use your recorded statement to find inconsistencies with later facts that arise in the case. Never agree to give a recorded or written statement without checking with an Cleveland personal injury attorney like John Colan first.
7. Signing any insurance company forms or medical authorizations. Just don’t do it. Again, they do not have your best interest at heart. If you,do it the insurance company has the right to look at your medical history. They would not be doing this for your benefit, so don’t do it.
8. Trying to settle on your own. If you give a demand to an insurance company or tell them what you would be willing to settle for the insurance company is in a better position to negotiate and you will not be. You need to allow your Cleveland personal injury lawyer time to gather facts to proceed with your case. You may also need to wait and see if your injury is totally healed or if you will have future medical expenses.
9. Saying you are eager to settle or want to settle. If you need money, it is hard to wait even a few months. But remember that quick settlements usually mean lower payouts. If you let it be known that you are in debt and cannot wait to settle the case, you are telling the opposing side that you are in a weaker position, that you would not consider taking this matter to trial.
10. Failing to hire a Cleveland personal injury attorney or Cleveland personal injury lawyer like John Colan at ColanLaw in Westlake, Ohio.