Vital Things You Should Know About Your Personal Injury Claim

If you have an injury and plan on putting in a personal injury claim, you have a lot to learn. Claiming compensation is a slow process, but it could be your only option. If you injury prevents you from earning money or the healing process is expensive, you have a problem. Here are some vital things you need to know about your personal injury claim.

Not every claim pays off

You shouldn't think that claiming money for an injury is easy. It isn't. Not all claims pay. You have to ensure that your injury was not your fault. In court, lawyers will try and prove that you are the one to blame, so ensure that you're not before you make a claim. You need to know who was culpable for your injury so that you can claim money from them. Ensure that you find a good lawyer, like those available at https://www.gadsbywicks.co.uk/medical-negligence/misdiagnosis-claims (or one available in your area) who understands your specific circumstances before you claim. 

Your doctor will play an integral role

Your doctor needs to back up everything you say about your injury. You may have to pay your doctor to sign various documents for you throughout the process. He or she will tell the court the truth about your injury. If you think you can lie or bend the truth when it comes to your injury, you are wrong. Your story must match your doctor's story. When you are dealing in any legal matter, honesty is always the best policy.

You need to keep track of your progress

Throughout your claim (and sometimes afterwards), you need to track your process. You will need to have regular consultations with your doctor about your recovery. Your compensation money should pay for your visits to the doctor, and so you don't need to worry about that expense. It may also be worth your while to keep a diary log of your progress. That way, you have written evidence of your recovery process.

You should consider your loss of earnings

When you are submitting your claim, you need to consider more than just your medical bills, you also need to consider your income. Your injury might mean that you need to be off work for weeks or even months. Your statutory sick pay will cover some of your time off work, but you might need to take more off than you expect. When you are making a claim, you need to factor in your loss of earnings so that you have enough money to live. You should work out how much you would have earned if you had been working and factor that cost into your claim.

You can cash in on your structured settlement

A structured settlement means that you get your compensation in a series of installments. For some people, that system helps them to make their money last. If that doesn't work for you, you can always cash in your settlement and get a large lump sum instead. Few people realize that structured settlements are flexible in this way. There may be all manner of reasons that you need a large sum of money, and so you should look into your settlement options.

Your settlement money needs to cover everything

Remember, your compensation needs to cover everything. When you get your money, you need to make sure that it lasts the duration of your injury. Some people think that compensation money is just free money. In reality, compensation serves a serious purpose in your life. When you get your settlement money, make sure that you make a clear budget. Your doctor will tell you how long you can expect to be off work. Make a budget for that period so that you know you have enough money to last you.