Personal injury cases are always tricky to deal with, regardless of how smooth everything might seem in the beginning. It might seem that you are entitled to get your claim for your compensation, but something can show up and bust your case in no time.
There are several things that might cause you to lose your personal injury case. Sometimes, it may be because you weren’t thorough enough. Other times, it may be because you had no chance of winning anyway. That being said, if you are still uncertain, here are a couple of reasons why you may have lost your personal injury case.
1. You Didn’t Get a Lawyer
Many people lose a simple case just because they didn’t get a lawyer in the first place. There are always certain glitches that you may expect, and the attorney will know the law well enough to represent you.
Plus, when you go in without a lawyer, you might not have the time necessary to handle the nuts and bolts in the form of paperwork – which, in turn, may cause you to lose your case. There are many companies such as the Hartley Law Firm that you can go for, which will only take payment once the case is won.
2. There Were Misinterpretations
When you go to court with a case, you need to speak the truth, only the truth and nothing but the truth. You also need to be as straightforward with your attorney and the jury as possible. If there is any room for interpretation or there are exaggerations, not only do you risk your case falling, but you may also be sanctioned for it.
3. You Said Too Much on Social Media
Remember the “you have the right to remain silent” thing? Well, this applies to social media as well. For example, you may have said that you are feeling ill or cannot do certain things – but the things you post on social media may contradict the things you say happened to you.
Nowadays, social media can be used against you in court. This is why most attorneys actually recommend that you sit it off at least until the case is over. You don’t want to lose your claim just because of something dumb you posted on Facebook just before that.
4. You Had Most of the Blame
Sometimes, the reason you lose is likely the most obvious: you were the one to blame here. Sure, when it comes to personal injury cases, both parties are often to blame. However, there will always be someone that had more blame. If you’re the one that had most of the fault in that personal injury case, then this is likely why you lost the case.
5. You Didn’t Receive Medical Attention on Time
When it comes to personal injuries, you need to get yourself checked right away so that the doctor may make an assessment. Failing to do so might not only cause your injuries to get worse, but it might also send your case plummeting. If you wait for too long, the opposing party might claim that your injuries were pre-existent and that it wasn’t the “incident” that caused them.
6. You Minimized the Issue
Sure, exaggerating can get you in a lot of trouble – but minimizing the issue won’t really get you anywhere either. Even if you want to avoid conflict, you need to be truthful about everything – so no minimizing whatever happened there. If you get a skilled personal injury lawyer to help you there, they will know how to evaluate your case in an objective manner so that nothing is left up to chance.
7. You Weren’t Prepared
You may have hired a lawyer, but you’ll need to prepare and think like a lawyer as well. Otherwise, when you enter that courtroom, you’ll be like a deer in the headlights, not knowing what to say to the jury. A good lawyer should be able to prepare you for any potential trial, so make sure you choose him/her right. For you to win, you need to help your lawyer help you – and if you didn’t, chances are that this is what botched your case.
8. You Lacked the Evidence
Technically speaking, you may have been in the right there – but unless you have the evidence to prove it, even a solid case might end up being on the losing side. After all, the jury and the judge weren’t there; they don’t know what happened.
As a result, they will need to see proof of what happened there. They’ll need pictures, police reports, medical records – anything to prove that you were the victim deserving of compensation. Assuming they’ll take your word for it might be exactly what caused you to lose.
9. You Spoke to an Insurance Company First
Contrary to what you may believe, insurance companies don’t want to give you much money. Their purpose there is to make a profit. So, if you talk to them before you clear things with your lawyer, be sure that they’ll find a way to pay you less. They may even deny your insurance claim if you take just one incorrect step. The insurance company might also delay your claim, which can cause your case to fall before it even starts.
10. You Forgot the Accident
As unfortunate as this might be, sometimes this might happen. If a long time has already passed since the incident, you might not remember certain details anymore. Things could be made even worse if you did not have the pictures to support your claim. Despite all of your rights to the claims, this could have made your case seem weak – and therefore, cause you to lose.
The Bottom Line
Each personal injury case has its issues, so if yours went wrong, there might be a reason for that. This is why you may want to prepare yourself as much as possible before the day comes. Collaborate with your lawyer, and you should be able to improve your odds.
