There are few guarantees in a personal injury case. At Hoffmaier & Hoffmaier in NYC, we’ve witnessed cases where an objectively strong case was lost or a weak case was won. Although your choice of attorney will have a large impact in New York courts, there are certain things that can hurt the strength of your personal injury lawsuit.
Below, we’ve prepared a list of six ways to hurt a personal injury case. In the meantime, if you’ve been injured, call the NYC personal injury attorneys at Hoffmaier & Hoffmaier.
Our attorneys can help you through the steps in filing a lawsuit in NYC, and we ensure professional legal guidance and representation throughout the duration of your case so that you can recover the damages rightfully owed to you.
For a free consultation, call our Manhattan law office today at (212) 777-9400.
How to Hurt Your Personal Injury Case
Personal injury lawsuits can be very delicate matters, and nearly everything you do following an accident, and especially after filing a personal injury lawsuit in NYC, can affect the outcome of your case, for better or for worse. Here are six things that could either seriously hurt or kill your personal injury lawsuit.
- Not fully documenting the accident. Following an accident that involves serious injury, you can kill your case if you don’t contact police or emergency medical services, fail to take photographs or document the accident (if possible), or fail to get the names and contact information of potential eyewitnesses.
- Failing to get the necessary medical treatment after an accident. If you are filing a personal injury lawsuit for injuries sustained in an accident, the insurance company, defendant, and the court will want to see medical evidence documenting your injuries. Remember, you’ll also need to prove a connection between the accident and the injuries you sustained, which will require documentation from the hospital as well as the physician.
Failing to follow medical advice. Not following the doctor’s advice and recommendations could kill your lawsuit. If you are not following your doctor’s advice, then the insurance company or the defendant can argue that you must not be injured or don’t care about recovering from those injuries.- Hiding previous injuries or personal injury cases. If you’re filing a personal injury lawsuit, then you’re opening up your medical history to investigation by the insurance company or the defendant. Covering up old accidents or previous personal injury lawsuits can seriously damage the outcome of your case.
- Exaggerating or misrepresenting your injuries. It’s important to be as truthful and honest as possible, which means detailing your injuries in a straightforward, objective manner. The insurance company may hire private investigators, subpoena medical records, and talk to friends and family (or even neighbors and co-workers). The insurance company is trying to determine whether or not you’re lying about or exaggerating your injuries.
- Failing to listen to your personal injury attorney. Your attorney is one of your best assets in these cases, and not only is it crucial to be honest with your attorney, but you also need to follow your attorney’s counsel and trust that your attorney is working in your best interest.
Contact Hoffmaier & Hoffmaier for a Free Consultation
Personal injury lawsuits in New York can be long, arduous legal battles, although many do settle out of court. Nonetheless, if you were in an accident and you’re looking to hold the responsible party accountable and recover damages, then you need to be aware of certain actions that could hurt the outcome of your case.
One of the best ways to strengthen your case, however, is to contact a leading NYC personal injury attorney. For a free, no-obligation consultation with the attorneys at Hoffmaier & Hoffmaier PC, call our Manhattan law firm today at (212) 777-9400.
