If you suffered an injury in an auto accident, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed by the physical, emotional, and financial aspects of your recovery. While you cope with your physical injuries, you are probably wondering how you’ll be able to afford the medical bills, physical therapy, lost wages, and other costs resulting from the accident. Filing an auto accident claim in Riverside County is a great way to obtain the compensation you need to get your life back on track. However, you should do everything to avoid the following common mistakes to ensure you secure the compensation you deserve.
1. Failing to Consult a Doctor
Even if your injuries do not appear to require immediate medical attention, you should still make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. Some injuries may not exhibit symptoms right away, such as internal bleeding and certain traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Without obtaining professional documentation detailing the nature and extent of your injuries, you’ll be unable to prepare a solid personal injury claim.
2. Waiting Too Long to File a Claim
Recovering from an auto accident often takes time. Your recovery is filled with decisions and other sources of stress, such as deciding when to return to work, scheduling physical therapy appointments, and following through on taking any medications your doctor prescribes. You may think that you can initiate an auto accident claim at any time, which may lead you to put this action off indefinitely. However, California has a two-year statute of limitations that limits the time in which auto accident victims may file a claim. Once this two-year window expires, you forfeit your opportunity to recover compensation.
3. Rushing Into Settlement
Auto insurance companies will attempt to offer you as little compensation as they can. After all, these companies are looking out for their financial interests. This means that they will issue you a lowball offer, hoping that you’ll accept this amount just to conclude the process and move forward with your life. However, accepting an initial offer often deprives you of the fair amount of compensation you deserve. Instead, work with your attorney to determine the true worth of your claim, and don’t hesitate to push back against lowball offers. Insurance companies want to avoid costly litigation battles at all costs, so they’ll usually negotiate a fair and favorable settlement with you.
Discuss your options for obtaining compensation following an auto accident injury in Temecula or Murrieta by calling Hales & Associates, A Professional Law Corporation, today at (951) 489-3320.