Florida personal injury cases are extremely complicated, and there are multiple opportunities during each step of a Florida personal injury lawsuit to make mistakes. Fortunately, many of these mistakes can be prevented or mitigated by hiring a Florida personal injury attorney. Therefore, if you’ve been injured in an accident in Florida, you should contact a Florida personal injury attorney as soon as possible. Below are some of the most common personal injury lawsuit mistakes accident victims make in Florida.
Admitting Fault
Following an accident, particularly a motor vehicle accident, personal injury victims are often in shock and unsure of how to behave. Sometimes, an accident victim will admit fault or apologize at the scene of the accident, even though he or she doesn’t really know who or what caused the accident. This is a big mistake. Accident victims should never admit fault or apologize, as this information can be used to reduce or deny a later personal injury claim.
Failing to Report Injuries or Symptoms
Another common mistake accident victims make is failing to report their injuries or symptoms at the scene of the accident. Often, a person who just experienced an accident wants to go home as soon as possible. This sometimes leads victims to minimize the extent of their injuries when speaking to the police or paramedics. Unfortunately, medical personnel and the police enter this information into reports that are created shortly after responding to the accident. Again, this information can later be used to deny accident victims just compensation for their injuries.
Failing to Seek Medical Treatment
The most important thing a person can do after an accident is to seek medical attention. And this goes beyond a medical examination at the scene of the accident. Accident victims should obtain follow-up medical treatment as soon as possible following an accident of any kind in Florida. Symptoms sometimes take days or weeks to manifest, so it’s important to receive a thorough examination to rule out or identify any serious injuries. An accident victim’s failure to seek medical treatment can later be used against him or her in a personal injury case.
Failing to Follow the Treatment Plan
Many accident victims receive medical treatment following an accident but fail to follow the prescribed treatment plan. This is another huge mistake. An accident victim’s failure to follow a prescribed treatment plan can be used by the other party to demonstrate that the victim exacerbated or prolonged the healing time of his or her injuries. This can result in the reduction or denial of damages available to the victim.
Failing to Hire a Florida Personal Injury Attorney
Finally, the biggest mistake an accident victim can make in a Florida personal injury case it to attempt to handle it without an attorney. Therefore, if you’ve been injured in an accident in Florida, you need an experienced Florida personal injury attorney on your side. At Staples, Ellis + Associates, P.A., our personal injury attorneys have over seventy years of combined experience representing accident victims throughout Northwest Florida. By hiring us to represent you, you can avoid the mistakes described above and rest assured that your Florida personal injury claim is in good hands. Please contact us as soon as possible to set up a consultation with one of our talented attorneys.
Posted in: Personal Injury