Accidents can change the trajectory of your life in a fraction of a second. One moment, you are living your best life or working towards one. Next, you are dealing with physical and psychological pain, piling medical bills, and a loss of livelihood if an accident keeps you off work for an extended period.
Illinois personal injury law allows victims of personal injuries resulting from the negligent actions or inaction of other people to recover compensation for losses. This guide highlights tips to help you prepare to get the most out of your claim.
1. Get Medical Help
Medical documentation provides the most solid evidence of an accident resulting in harm. Also, it ensures that the valuation is straightforward since medical costs make up a significant part of economic damages.
But evidence is not the only reason you want to get medical attention. It could be the difference between life and death; you want to ensure you are not in danger.
The sooner you get medical help, the better, so call 911. If not, go to the ER as soon as possible, ideally within 72 hours of an accident, to prevent creating treatment gaps the defendant can use against you.
2. Collect Evidence
Evidence plays a critical role in all legal matters. So, get as much of it as you can. If you are conscious after an accident and you can document the scene, do it by taking pictures and recording video, recording witness accounts, etc., if you can’t ask an onlooker to do it for you.
If none of these is possible, your lawyer can help gather evidence later. Besides the evidence you gather at the scene, you will also want to gather other pieces of evidence such as police reports, correspondences with the defendant, medical records, CCTV and dashcam footage etc.
3. Be Careful What You Say
What you say following an accident can make or break your case. Do not claim responsibility when talking to the other party or the police.
It is also a good idea to avoid sharing information about your accident on social media, as anything you say in your posts and replies can be used to create contradictions in your statements, thereby hurting your case.
The opposing side may also try to get to say things that could hurt your case. As such, it’s best to direct all correspondence to your lawyer.
4. Get a Lawyer
There is no requirement to have a lawyer when navigating an Illinois personal injury claim. However, having one can make a huge difference, with studies showing a four to five chance improvement at getting a fair outcome.
A lawyer may be able to improve the outcome in various ways, such as commanding respect from the other side, ensuring you do not make mistakes that could compromise your case, helping with damage valuation and negotiation, and representing you in court if your case doesn’t settle before then.
Besides improved chances of better outcomes, having a lawyer gives you peace of mind. Dealing with the aftermath of an accident is already too much to handle. The last thing you want is to add the stress of navigating a claim to it.
“After engaging a lawyer, you may want to relinquish control over the case to them. Not every decision they make will make sense to you. But it is important to trust them and follow their lead.” says attorney Michael McCready
