Mistakes Made in a Massachusetts Injury Case
"The Three
Biggest Mistakes Most People Make After They've Been Injured In Any
Kind of Accident"
A Special Report
Mistake #1
The Health Mistake You Could Regret For Years . . . And How To Avoid It
If your accident caused serious injuries I know you're already getting
medical treatment. Which is exactly what you should do.
But what if you haven't been seriously injured . . . or at least you
think it's not serious?
I've seen many clients--both male and female--who were keyed up with
adrenalin right after their accident and were just glad to be alive.
They didn't have any blood gushing and didn't realize that they had
some damage--soft tissue injury, such as a sore neck or back--that
doesn't show up for a day or two. Then they can't get out of bed or
bend over. This is typical.
But believe me, these injuries can be very serious even though you
can't see them on an X-ray. They can lay you up for weeks, months, or
even years. If this description fits you, you need to go see a
physician who is experienced in soft tissue injuries and get into
rehabilitation therapy right away.
But be forewarned. The average family practitioner doesn't know how to
handle these soft tissue cases. And making yourself well has to be
your number one concern.
If you don't get the care and treatment you need, first of all you're
going to be laid up much longer than you need to be--and if you're like
most people, you simply can't afford the luxury of just taking it easy
for up to a year. Second, if you have a damage claim, waiting makes it
look like you're faking it. In any case, even a successful claim can't
erase the pain and hardship you may be going through.
So there's no reason not to see a doctor right away.
Mistake # 2
Not Learning Your Legal Rights
I know you're probably concerned with how you're going to pay for this
medical care and other bills. That's where your legal rights come in.
They cover far more than just medical bills.
Simply put, anytime you've been injured in an accident caused by
somebody else, you have a right to be reimbursed for your property
damages, medical expenses, for your lost wages, for your loss of future
quality of life, for your pain and suffering. Past, present, and
future.
If you don't know what your rights are, how can you possibly expect to
get a fair settlement for the full money damages you're entitled to?
Mistake #3
Not Understanding Other Common Pitfalls
You're also going to be faced with something else. If it hasn't
happened to you already, I can assure you that you're going to be
inundated by "representatives" from lawyers--calling you or even
visiting you in your home or in the hospital. They'll be trying to
solicit your business.
As a service to you, I'd like to tell you what you need to watch out
for.
Whether you hire me, hire another attorney, or work out your settlement
by yourself, it is critical that you know the following:
- First of all, don't sign any forms that are blank. These runners, as
they're called, will take these blank contracts or power of attorney
and sell them to whichever lawyer pays them the most money, not
necessarily the best lawyer. Check out the lawyer. Make sure there is
a lawyer out there. Don't sign anything until you go to a lawyer's
office.
- Second, don't discuss your case with anybody except your attorney, your
doctor, and maybe your own personal insurance agent. Unless your
injury is trivial, I have to tell you that you should have a lawyer.
Since you can get help on a contingency basis, you're potentially
risking a lot by not having one.
So if you either have an attorney or are thinking about hiring one,
don't talk to the other guy's insurance company.
And regardless of that, don't talk to people who call you and say they
are from the credit bureau and they are checking on your case. Don't
talk to anybody who solicits you over the phone, period. I wouldn't
talk to anybody that just showed up at your house, because you're being
set up. Refer them all to your attorney.
- Third, don't you dare sign any release from liability unless you've
gotten a lawyer to approve it. Because once you settle your case, it's
finished.
The case is over. You can't get anything else.
Besides, there's no need for you to sign anything to get the process
going other than a claim form with your insurance company, which is
legitimate. (Actually, you can get it going by making a telephone call
and filing a claim over the telephone.)
Let me give you an example of a very recent client of mine--the case of
. . .
The $8,000 Signature.
We had a case not too long ago where a man here from Central America
who didn't speak English very well got rear-ended. They did about $800
dollars worth of damage to his car, which is not a real bad wreck but
it's not just a little bump. The insurance adjuster got the guy to
settle and sign a release for the $800 property damage claim. And he
also had back injuries which the adjuster got him to settle for $20.
Now, fortunately, the guy got to feeling suspicious and he came in. We
said absolutely don't sign the check. We sent the check back to the
insurance company and said we're rejecting this. Please send a new
check without the bodily injury payment because the guy's hurt, and
he's seeing a doctor.
They refused.
But we let him go ahead and get treated by a doctor, and then prepared
our settlement package and sent it to the adjuster. He was irate but
we told him he had overreached and we were going to take it to court.
We just got a letter offering $5,000 as a first offer, and we'll
probably settle it for eight or nine thousand.
Insurance companies try to pull this kind of thing on a routine basis.
Don't let yourself be victimized again! Ask your attorney.
For a free case evaluation about any type of Massachusetts Injury personal
injury case, call me at my Boston Office at 617-523-5010 and I'll give you a
quick assessment of your case over the phone, or arrange to meet with you at one
of my offices to discuss the case in further detail.
Attorney David Reservitz Boston and Brockton, MA
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