How to Sabotage Your Personal Injury Claim

When someone else’s negligence causes an accident that leaves you injured, you want to recover the maximum possible compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses. Being seriously hurt is not cheap, and if it was another person’s fault, you deserve to have your costs covered by the at-fault party.

Three Ways to Ruin Your Chances at Recovering Maximum Possible Damages

While it may seem sufficient to prove that the other person was to blame, many people unintentionally sabotage their own personal injury claims by making these three mistakes:

• Letting the Statute of Limitations Run Out: As soon as your accident occurs, the clock starts ticking on when you can file your claim. The statute of limitations in Arizona for injury claims is two years, which may sound like a lot, but a shocking amount of people let this important deadline slide by. Even if it takes a few days or weeks (as is often the case with soft tissue injuries) for symptoms to appear, be prompt in seeking medical attention and filing your lawsuit.
• Filing a “Swiss Cheese” Injury Claim: A good lawsuit establishes all critical elements of negligence related to the claim, namely duty, breach, causation, and harm. If your suit fails to include all four elements—meaning that you neglect to clearly demonstrate that the defendant had a duty of care to you, they breached that duty, that breach of duty caused your injuries—your claim may be significantly weakened.
• Making Your Damages Worse Through Action of Lack Thereof: In order to collect the maximum possible damages, you will need to show that you have made every possible effort to minimize and address your damages. Many people incorrectly assume that they can collect more money by allowing (or encouraging) their injuries to get worse. This is why it is important to seek medical attention as soon as you are injured, as well as follow your treatment plan to the letter—if you do not, your damage award is likely to be significantly reduced.

If you have been hurt in an accident, help your claim’s success by seeking immediate medical attention, and by seeking the advice of an experienced personal injury lawyer. To schedule you complimentary consultation today, contact Curry, Pearson & Wooten at 602-258-1000.