Filing a personal injury case soon? One effective way for people to maximize the settlements they receive is by hiring the right personal injury lawyer in Arizona.
You shouldn’t stop there, either. You can also take other steps to put yourself in the position to collect more compensation overall in your personal injury case.
Check out our guide to maximizing personal injury settlements below.
Seek Medical Attention As Soon As Possible
In the aftermath of a car accident, a slip-and-fall accident, or any other type of accident, head to a local hospital as quickly as you can for a medical evaluation. Do this even if you don’t necessarily feel like you sustained any serious injuries.
If you delay medical care for any reason, it could hurt your personal injury case. The legal team for the defendant might suggest your accident injuries weren’t that bad if they didn’t require immediate attention.
By taking a trip to a hospital and documenting your injuries, you can show the seriousness of your situation to the defendant in your case. This alone could increase your compensation amount.
Contact our team today so we can fight to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Gather As Much Evidence As You Can
Medical records stemming from your accident should serve as the strongest evidence during a personal injury case. However, it’s just one type of evidence you can gather to create a more compelling case overall.
As part of the evidence documentation process, you should also do the following:
- Secure the police report for your accident
- Take photographs and videos of your accident scene
- Look for witnesses who may be willing to share details about your accident
The more evidence lawyers and their clients can collect, the better their chances of increasing personal injury settlements. Your legal representation can demonstrate more aggression during a settlement negotiation when they have a mountain of evidence backing up your injury claims.
Document All Accident-Related Expenses
You may face your fair share of expenses following an accident. Document all these expenses if you plan to take legal action in your case.
These may include:
- Medical expenses
- Property damage repair costs
- Lost wages
If the defendant in your personal injury case questions the compensation you’ve requested, you’ll have the necessary documentation to fall back on. This can strengthen your case and encourage the defendant to give in to your settlement demands.
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Stay Patient During Settlement Negotiations
The first settlement offer you receive from the defendant in your personal injury case will likely fall on the lower end of the spectrum. There is even a chance this offer might come in at an insultingly low number and catch you off-guard.
Your first instinct may be to shut down settlement negotiations and take your personal injury case to trial. But before doing this, take advantage of your ability to send a counteroffer back to the defendant.
Continue to go back and forth at least a few times to see how much a defendant is willing to budge. You may end up being pleasantly surprised to see how much higher a defendant’s offer will climb as time goes on.
Eventually, you may land on a number that sounds right to you and the defendant. It can take time, but this is how personal injury settlements typically come together as long as you’re patient.
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Avoid Airing Grievances on Social Media
Generally speaking, posting anything about an ongoing personal injury case on social media is never a smart idea. You’re asking for trouble if you overshare on a social media platform like Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), or TikTok.
If the defendant in your case catches wind of social media posts you’ve put up, they may try to use them against you. If nothing else, you’ll allow a defendant’s legal team to bring this up during settlement negotiations and put your personal injury lawyer in a tough spot.
Prepare To Take a Case to Trial
The vast majority of personal injury lawyers are ultimately able to negotiate settlements for their clients to help them steer clear of taking their cases to trial. However, it isn’t always possible for attorneys to reach personal injury settlements.
If your lawyer can’t land on the same page as a fellow attorney or insurance adjuster during intense negotiations, ready yourself to move in a different direction. You maintain the right to close negotiations and proceed to a personal injury trial if you aren’t satisfied with the offers you’re receiving.
Ask your personal injury attorney for legal advice if you land in this situation. They can advise you on whether to take a case to trial or continue to try to iron out a settlement deal.
Just make sure you know about the tax implications for settlements and judgments.
Work With the Right Lawyer
We said this once, but it’s worth repeating: Working with the right lawyer is often the key to maximizing a personal injury settlement. Take your time when searching for one, and find an attorney with plenty of experience in the personal injury industry.
Ideally, this lawyer should know the ins and outs of the specific type of personal injury case you plan to file. They should also understand how to negotiate settlements with insurance adjusters and have a track record to show for it.
Locating the right lawyer should give you confidence in their ability to negotiate a personal injury settlement that will cover your accident-related costs. These settlements might even help you recover non-economic damages for pain and suffering, emotional anguish, and more.
Contact Us for Help With Maximizing Personal Injury Settlements
Every personal injury offer might look like a great option, but which attorneys will give you the greatest chance to maximize a personal injury settlement?
Let Accident Hotline help you answer this question by providing a network of personal injury attorneys from throughout the U.S. who can all offer free 24/7 consultations to prospective clients. Reach out to us at 888-340-7454 today to find a local personal injury lawyer to help you seek fair compensation for accident-related damages.
For a free consultation, call 888-340-7454
