5 Tips for Maximizing Your Settlement in Personal Injury Cases

If you’ve been injured due to another person’s negligence, you deserve to have all your damages covered, whether they be economic (like medical bills and lost wages) or non-economic (like pain and suffering). However, a skilled Queens, NY personal injury law firm can tell you that insurance companies often do everything in their power to minimize your damages to protect their own bottom line. How can you turn the tables and maximize your settlement?

Tip 1: Seek Legal Counsel As Soon as Possible

Time is truly of the essence in personal injury cases. Crucial evidence can be lost, memories become less reliable, and important legal deadlines can get missed if you delay. Engaging a skilled and experienced personal injury attorney early in the process allows them to begin the critical tasks of gathering evidence, securing witness statements, and building a strong case for you.

Tip 2: Prioritize and Document Your Medical Treatment

Diligently following the medical care plan your doctors lay out is also a crucial component of maximizing your settlement, as is saving the records of that care. Comprehensive medical records documenting your injuries, treatment plans, and ongoing care needs show the severity of your damages. And if you attend all appointments, follow your doctor’s orders diligently, and are open about all your symptoms, even those that may seem minor, you don’t allow the other side any chance to suggest that you aren’t taking your own injuries seriously.

Tip 3: Don’t Undervalue Your Pain and Suffering

Insurance companies are especially skilled at minimizing the non-economic damages associated with personal injuries. Pain and suffering, which is a term that covers all the emotional toll of the accident (like loss of enjoyment of life, actual pain, and changes in relationships) is subjective; but it’s no less important than medical bills and lost wages. Consider keeping a detailed diary documenting your daily experiences. Describe how your injuries affect your sleep, your ability to concentrate, your emotions, and your interactions with loved ones.

Tip 4: Be Patience

Personal injury cases can take time, particularly those involving significant injuries and complex liability questions. Prematurely accepting a low settlement offer from an insurance company, though, could mean you miss out on the full compensation you deserve. Your attorney will help you understand the expected timeline and advise you when it’s in your best interests to be patient and hold out.

Tip 5: Beware of Social Media

Insurance companies frequently monitor social media. They’re looking for any inconsistencies or anything that could weaken your claim, and a seemingly harmless post about a social activity or vacation could be used to downplay the seriousness of your injuries or suggest that you’re already healed. If you have any concerns about any activity or social media post, candidly discuss it with your attorney for advice on how to minimize potential negative implications.

The best way to maximize the value of your claim is simply to follow the advice of your lawyer. If you’ve been injured, contact us today at Mallilo & Grossman, Attorneys at Law in Queens, NY and serving all of Metropolitan New York and Long Island. Let us put our 40 years of experience to work for you.

Tags: Personal Injury, Personal Injury Attorney, Personal Injury Lawyer, Personal Injury NY, Personal Injury Queens
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