NC Injury Claim Tips
You’ve been hurt in an accident in North Carolina. You need to make a claim to make sure you’re reimbursed for your losses. What are the best tips a seasoned NC personal injury attorney would give you? Here ya go:
- Everything you say can and will be used against you. You will probably be asked to make a statement about how the accident leading to your injury occurred. You should assume that every word out of your mouth will be turned against you, so think twice before making a statement. If you’re in a position where you feel like you have to talk, then make your statement clear, simple, and concise. But also consider that you should maybe talk to an attorney before talking to anyone else about how the accident occurred.
- Don’t “tough it out.” I know, I know. You don’t want to make a big deal out of it or whatever. But if you’re hurt, you’re hurt. And that means you should seek medical treatment/advice. The longer you delay that, the worse your claim will be treated by the insurance companies involved in it. You get ZERO points and do your claim no favors by trying to be a tough nut and act like you’re not hurt. If you’re feeling in any way different after the accident than you did before it, get checked out.
- Use your health insurance. This is one of the common mistakes that people make, thinking that the at-fault insurance carrier is going to pay for their medical treatment. They might. But that’s only AFTER the fact. In our state, you own your medical bills until you make someone else own them. And this is why you have health insurance, so use it! If the health care provider thinks they shouldn’t, tell them they’re wrong. If they insist they can’t, then seek another provider. Chiropractors are the exception to this rule in that the co-pays compared to the frequency of treatment really make it somewhat unattractive to use your health insurance with them. But for pretty much every other health care provider, use your health insurance!
- As soon as your health care situation is stable, talk to an attorney. I never want to be someone’s first call after an accident. If you’re in an auto accident, call the police first. Then get your care situated. THEN call me. But at the same time, don’t delay too long! Seeking advice too late in the process just increases the pool of time during which you can be manipulated into making a mistake. So talk to an attorney as soon as you can after your health care situation is stable.
Could I give you more? Maybe. But these are the high points. Follow these rules and you’re setting your claim up for success. Fail to follow them and you’ll see what happens. Call me at 919-929-2992.
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