If you are hurt in an accident, one of the first things that may happen is that the other party's insurance company may call you and ask you about what happened in the accident, and about your injuries. What you say to an insurance company can and will be used against you. Often a person just injured in a car accident in particular, does not feel the full brunt of his injuries until a day or two later. However, he/she may have told the insurance company that he was "not hurt" or "not badly hurt" a few hours after the accident. Without question the most common mistake people make after an accident has occurred is in speaking to the other side's insurance professional without a lawyer -a professional of his/her own- on his/her side. We strongly recommend that you do not speak to the other party's insurance company without having retained a lawyer.
The next most common mistake injured persons make after an accident has occurred is not seeking treatment quickly enough. It is very important for your case to have an objective track record showing that you have been injured. Therefore, it is crucial if you have been injured that you get to a doctor or another medical professional as soon as you can, after the accident. Further, it is crucial that you do not create a "gap in treatment" by missing your doctor's appointments in the weeks and months following your accident, as these are things that can be used against you by insurance adjusters and defense counsel in your case. While not indicative of the extent of your injuries, not treating soon after your accident, or missing treatment sessions creates an argument that either you were not badly injured at the time of the accident, or you were healed fairly soon after the accident.
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