A Massachusetts personal injury lawsuit often feels like a chess game where you need to look several steps ahead in order to secure victory. Although you may feel your claim is a slam dunk, it s critical to understand the common mistakes made by Mass. Car accident victims who choose not to work with a MA personal injury lawyer.

Here are seven common mistakes personal injury victims make without an attorney.

1. Failing to gather and record essential information

In a court of law in Massachusetts, evidence is a powerful tool, and it s an even more influential tool in the negotiation room. For example, you probably already know you should trade insurance information with the other party during a Massachusetts auto accident. However, it s also critical to obtain photographs at the scene and to document everything you can about the event.

If you re not otherwise incapacitated or brought to the hospital, you may even consider taking a video of yourself with your phone to record everything you can remember about the incident. Save all physical evidence you can find.

2. Lack of confidence and inexperience negotiating

Even if you have a Type A personality and believe you re up to the task of negotiating, a lawsuit isn t like sitting on the high school debate team. Lawyers who specialize in Boston personal injury law know all the tricks the opposing counsel will use, and you won t have the same experience.

Further, sometimes it s not just what you can negotiate with the other party, but what you can negotiate with an insurance company. Unfortunately, insurance companies train their employees to dismiss arguments from victims. The only way to get the insurance company to respond is with confidence, experience, and aggressive tactics.

3. Hurrying the case and settling too soon

You only have a short time to file a case, but a Mass pedestrian accident or MA auto crash lawsuit may go on for years in certain cases. Although it may feel painful or stressful to experience a drawn-out court case, settling too soon is a real danger for anyone who decides to attempt a case without a Mass. lawyer. In addition to getting a settlement that s not enough to cover the expenses for your pain and suffering, settling too soon may not allow latent injuries to surface.

What if you re in a New Bedford, Dartmouth or Fall River car accident, but you don t realize you need surgery for an injury until the pain surfaces months after the incident? Settling a case is permanent, so it s important that the process is not rushed.

4. Settling unknowingly with the insurance company

It s not uncommon for an insurance company to give you a call or visit you after a Massachusetts accident and offer you a small amount of money. Insurance companies do this because it s easy to get people to sign away their rights to future claims when there s a check on the table and the promise of swift cash.

Although you may feel relieved to receive money quickly and easily, accidentally settling too early might mean future money problems. What if you get a late notice that your car is going to be totaled, and what if your settlement isn t enough to cover the costs of replacing the vehicle?

5. Getting a small settlement for your MA automobile collision

Depending on your case, you may receive more than one offer to settle. As someone who may never have taken part in a Mass. premises liability or slip and fall lawsuit before, you may not know what constitutes an appropriate settlement offer and what Massachusetts lawyers might consider as too low an offer.

The amount an insurance company might offer you could sound like a huge settlement, but a Massachusetts personal injury lawyer could negotiate for a much greater amount and make their attorney fee worth the price.

6. Making official statements to the opposing party or insurance company

Very quickly after an accident, an insurance company or the MA lawyer from the other party will probably call you and try to get an official statement about the incident. They ll speak as if they re your friend and they re just trying to get some basic information.

If you have a Massachusetts Car accident lawyer, there s no danger you ll make statements that could undermine your case. Your lawyer will be the point of contact for all communications and will keep your claim safe from the insurance company s mischief.

7. Waiting too long for care and legal help

If you have any wish to get a settlement after a MA truck or motorcycle accident, the only appointment that s more important than meeting with a lawyer is going to the doctor. Visiting a medical professional and following his or her advice could mean the difference between a successful case and an inability to collect.
Don t let any of these mistakes sabotage your personal injury case in Massachusetts. Remember that you only have a short time to file a claim in a court of law in Mass. against another party. Don t wait until it s too late, and you re unable to file your case.

Legal Notice per Rules of Professional Responsibility: The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all lawyers and attorneys in the general practice of law, but does not license or certify any lawyer / attorney as an expert or specialist in any field of practice. While this firm maintains joint responsibility, most cases of this type are referred to other attorneys for principle responsibility.