PART 3: HOW TO OBTAIN A REASONABLE SETTLEMENT FOR YOUR PERSONAL INJURY CASE

It is integral to have a cordial and trustworthy relationship with your personal injury lawyer, and reveal all the details that are important to the case. However, sometimes we might fail to tell certain important details that will affect the lawyer’s strategy and ultimately the outcome. Here are certain things you must tell your personal injury attorney.

1. Reveal to your lawyer all the previous accidents you have been in, and the injuries you have suffered. If you have suffered injuries in the past, the insurance adjuster is capable of denying you the compensation while claiming that the injuries you are showing are from a past accident. The lawyer should know about all your previous injuries and health conditions so that he can dispute the adjuster effectively. Similarly, if you have suffered any injuries after the accident, you should reveal that as well, because the opposing party might claim you are trying to obtain compensation for injuries and/or trauma that is not related to the accident.
2. If you have filed for bankruptcy, and you secure a settlement or you are awarded compensation by a jury, then the amount is considered part of your estate, which means your creditors will receive that money. When your personal injury lawyer knows about this, he can work out something with the bankruptcy attorney to save or slice off a part of the compensation for you.
3. If you have filed for divorce, your personal injury lawyer should know about it. If your spouse has spent money in supporting you after you have been injured, then she is entitled to a part of the compensation, and your attorney will see that the spouse receives a fair share.
4. Tell your personal injury lawyer if you were found guilty of any crimes in the past. Usually, felonies and misdemeanors are not considered during a personal injury trial, but your lawyer should be prepared if your past has been tarnished in any way. If you have some bright spots in your past, your attorney should know about that as well. This could be educational achievements, charity work, positive affiliations, military veteran status, and so on.