Leveling the Field between Injured Iowans and Insurance Companies.

5 Must Know Things Following an Accident

1. Dealing with the Insurance Company: The insurance adjustor for the other party is not your friend and is not there to help you with your claim. Yes, they may tell you that they are here to help, but remember who they work for. Their job is to pay you as little as possible for your injuries. One of the strategies they will use is to ask for a recorded statement. It is seldom helpful for you to give them a recorded statement for the following reasons:
a. They are trained to ask you questions in such a way that sometimes you say something different than what you meant. For example, if the insurance adjustor asks you have you ever had back pain before what would you tell her? Most people would say no, meaning that they have never had back pain like this, but if you answered no and you previously saw a doctor for back pain your credibility could be significantly damaged.
b. You have not been prepared to give the statement and may make a costly mistake.
c. It is a one sided statement for which you are receiving nothing in return. Ask the insurance adjustor if you can take a recorded statement from their insured in exchange for you providing them with a recorded statement.

2. Seek Medical Attention: You need to immediately seek medical treatment following an accident and tell your doctors everything that hurts. Your medical records are one of the most critical pieces of evidence in a personal injury case. Your doctor is required to keep medical records describing how you were injured, your physical complaints, your injuries, the doctor’s examination findings, and the treatment you received. So be careful what you tell your doctors. If your car sustained minor damage, then do not tell your doctor that the car was totaled. Even minor inconsistencies between your medical records and the facts in the case can hurt your credibility and reduce the value of your case. Also, you need to tell your doctors everything that hurts. This will not only help make it so you are treated properly, but also establish your problems in your medical records. If you first begin to complain about a medical problem weeks or even months after you were hurt, the insurance company will claim that the problem was not from the accident and reduce their settlement offer to you.

3. Follow Medical Advice: You need to do what your doctors and other medical providers tell you do. If your doctor tells you to get therapy four days a week, but you only go twice a week, then you will damage your claim. Likewise, if you are asked to do home exercises, but fail to do them the insurance company will also use this against you and reduce their settlement offer accordingly.

4. Document: You should keep copies of all the documentation you receive including work excuse slips. In addition, it is important to keep track of the time you missed from work attending medical appointments. If you want to be compensated for the time you miss from work then you will need documentation.

5. Honesty: Honesty is always the best policy. The insurance company and their lawyers will use everything and anything they can to show that you are not a credible person. Juries do not like people who exaggerate their claims or flat out lie about things. Therefore, no matter what, DO NOT LIE. Even a small lie can destroy your credibility and cost you thousands of dollars. Just like your parents told you the best policy is honesty. That way you will not have to worry about what was said. Also, keep in mind that if you decide to hire an attorney then your attorney will deal with the insurance company for you so they will not be able to twist your words into something you really did not say.

What else should you know after an accident? There are many more things including how to avoid common costly mistakes. To learn about these, request the Iowa injury book below that applies to your matter available at no cost.

How to Avoid 7 Deadly Mistakes to if You are Hurt at Work
5 Ways to Not Bitten by Your Iowa Dog Bite Case
7 Secrets to Not Wreck Your Iowa Car Accident Case
9 Motorcycle Accident Mistakes and How to Avoid Them



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