Fighting For My Reputation

Thinking Of Filing A Personal Injury Lawsuit? Adhere To These Dos And Don'ts

11 May 2017

Luke Warren

If you suffered an injury that you believe to be due to someone else's negligence, then you may be considering filing a personal injury lawsuit. This is a good way to recover the compensation you are owed in order to pay your medical bills, make up for any wages lost due to the injury, and account for your pain and suffering. While you navigate the lawsuit process, from finding a lawyer to actually having a judge hear your case, make sure you follow these dos and don'ts to increase your chances of success.

Do: Talk to a lawyer before you communicate with the other party.

Your gut may tell you to reach out to the person who caused your injury, but this is rarely a smart thing to do. If you say the wrong thing, it could be taken as an admission of guilt, which could sabotage your lawsuit later on. Find a lawyer to represent you, and then let them handle all communication with the party who caused your injuries.

Don't: Post on social media.

Even if you use social media to share every other aspect of your life, you need to keep information and comments about your injury and the lawsuit off of these sites. In fact, avoid posting pictures of yourself doing anything until your case is settled. You never know what conclusions the other party's lawyer may draw from a picture. For example, a picture of you pulling your child in a wagon may be taken by the judge to indicate your back is not as sore as you claim it is.

Do: Tell your lawyer the truth.

Your personal injury attorney can do his or her best job of making a strong case if he or she knows the truth about what happened before, during, and after your injury. Don't hide anything from your lawyer; it will come back to bite you if the other party discovers the information you've withheld.

Don't: Expect too much.

You see news headlines that say things like "Woman sues a grocery store for $1,000,000 after an accident" and "truck driver sued for $230,000 after hitting a cat." But the truth is, most lawsuits are settled for a lot less than these dramatic headlines would suggest. Your lawyer will help you arrive at the right amount to ask for. You can expect it to cover the costs you've incurred due to your injury -- but not much more.

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