Honestly, Be Honest With Your Lawyer After An Accident

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Those hit and hurt by a careless driver are smart to seek personal injury help from a lawyer. Few insurers will pay victims what they deserve without a lawyer to fend for them. To do a good job for you, your lawyer must know everything they possibly can about you and the accident. Read on and learn why that is so important.

Clients are Protected 

You and your lawyer have an automatically protected relationship. You can say (almost) anything to your personal injury lawyer, and they are sworn to not just confidentiality, but they cannot be compelled to reveal information to a judge, no matter what. What you speak, email, text, or any other means is protected so go ahead and be forthcoming for the sake of your case.

Why the Need for Disclosure?

The other side may be at fault for causing the accident and your injuries, but their insurer will try to mitigate their liability by raising doubts about fault or about the validity of your injuries. It's a ploy meant to distract and upset victims, but you can head those efforts off by your honest dealings with your lawyer.

Reveal These Issues to Your Lawyer

You are giving your lawyer the knowledge to plan and address issues before it's too late. For example, if you don't disclose that you had several speeding tickets in the last few months, both you and your lawyer could be caught off-guard when it comes up at the deposition. Be sure you cover the below situations with your lawyer as soon as possible:

1. As mentioned above, your driving records may be scrutinized by the other side. Be upfront about past driving violations and any traffic-related arrests. The other side might make it appear that your past driving issues make it likely that you were at least somewhat at fault for the accident. That could mean your compensation will be seriously compromised.
2. Past accidents and injuries can also be used against you so don't forget to mention those to your lawyer. The other driver's insurer may try to mitigate your medical expenses by claiming you had preexisting conditions from a past medical issue or a past accident.
3. Criminal records may also be checked and used against you when it comes to financial matters. Depending on what the records reveal, the other side may allege that you are being dishonest, fraudulent, or exaggerating your medical issues.
4. Bankruptcy or other signs of financial stress (prior to the accident) could indicate a victim's desperation for money damages and not a legitimate need to cover damages.

To find out more about what you need to tell your lawyer, speak to a personal injury lawyer today.

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2 March 2022