Don’t Let a Common Mistake Ruin your Case

Although there are various ways to ruin your personal injury lawsuit, some are more common than others. We have listed the five most common mistakes you or your attorney can make when seeking compensation.

Not hiring an expert – In some cases, using an expert witness to testify on your behalf is critical to proving negligence. Although you can give your explanation of the accident and what caused it, an expert not only explains it more clearly, but he or she also has more credibility.
Assumption of risk/contributory negligence – If the defense can prove that your negligence added to your injuries or that you engaged in an obviously dangerous activity, your case could be destroyed.
Failing to gather proof – Pictures of the accident, medical documents, a note from your doctor or a police report are all ways to prove damages. Failing to gather proof will make proving your case much more difficult. Usually your attorney will help you gather this information.
Not being truthful – Credibility is always important in court. If you are caught being dishonest on any aspect of the case, your credibility is ruined. Taking the time to make sure every part of your testimony and case is accurate will pay off in the long run. Avoid talking to the insurance company as well, since they will try to trick you into saying something inconsistent. Always let your attorney do the talking for you.
Not using an attorney on your case – Although small claims don’t require an attorney, other personal injury claims can be easily lost without expert representation. A lawyer is trained to recognize aspects of the case that you may fail to consider otherwise.

It is important that you consult your attorney immediately following a wreck. The insurance company will use every sneaky tactic in the book to lead you to do what they want so they don’t have to pay you or so that you settle for a low amount.

At Ray Hodge & Associates, we believe in personal injury handled personally. At our office you see a lawyer from the very first meeting because we believe your case deserves an experienced personal injury attorney right from the start.

If you have had a Kansas car wreck injury that was not your fault and need medical treatment, you need an experienced professional who can help you get back on the road to recovery. Call us today at 316-269-1414 or visit our contact page here. Our Kansas personal injury attorneys will provide you a free initial consultation and if we take your case you don’t pay a dime unless we recover money for you. Even then we only take a percentage of the total amount of your recovery.

If you have questions on what you should be looking for when you are making a decision to hire a Kansas personal injury lawyer, read our article located here.

Make sure you download our free car accident app for iPhone or Droid to protect yourself in event of an auto accident.

Ray Hodge & Associates proudly represents victims and their families across the state of Kansas, including Wichita, Andover, Derby, Goddard, Haysville, Mulvane, Rose Hill, Newton, El Dorado and Hutchinson. Call today for a free consultation all over the state of Kansas. We have proudly served clients in Sedgwick, Butler, Sumner, Harvey, Kingman and Reno Counties.