Insurance companies repeatedly express their belief that an accident victim’s claims of whiplash have been exaggerated. How can injured victims prove the veracity of their claims?
Actions that should be taken by anyone that has reason to file a personal injury claim
Seek immediate medical attention from a doctor, a hospital or a clinic. Never assume that no occupant of a vehicle that has been severely damaged in a collision suffered any injury. All the occupants should be examined at some type of medical facility/office.
Let your insurance carrier know about any telltale symptoms that you, or any other victims have experienced. Personal Injury Lawyer in St. Thomas know that you can do that by sending a written description of the symptoms, stating their nature, and the duration of the symptom’s presence. If you are the policyholder, learn as much as possible about each victim’s injuries, including your own. If any victim was a child, speak with the child’s pediatrician, in order to obtain details, regarding what symptoms that same child might exhibit.
How an accident victim should proceed, if he or she plans to file a lawsuit
Victims that live in a no-fault state do not have a right to file a lawsuit, unless their injuries have been severe enough to trigger a flood of medical bills. That is why any victim should seek a prognosis from a doctor, with respect to any accident-caused injury. If a doctor’s prognosis has indicated a future need for extensive or expensive treatments, then a lawsuit might be allowed, even in a no-fault state.
In addition to obtaining a prognosis, it helps to acquire information on how a given injury might disrupt the victim’s life. Knowledge of such information could prove useful to any victims that have chosen to take the next step.
Arrange to consult with a personal injury attorney. Learn whether or not the same lawyer would be willing to represent a client with a case such as yours. Be sure to share with that attorney what you have learned about how the injuries could affect the victim’s life. A lawyer’s awareness of such facts should underscore the reason for the scheduled consultation.
How retention of a lawyer could help any accident victim with a personal injury claim?
Personal injury lawyers always caution their clients against agreeing to settle, before each injured victim has reached the point of maximum medical improvement (MMI). Lawyers know how to speak with an insurance company, in order to emphasize the client’s right to await the arrival of that point, before settling.
Whenever any victim is a minor, the law permits the granting of an extension, with respect to a specific deadline, namely the one imposed on anyone that intends to pursue a personal injury lawsuit.