Ten Tips to Maximize Your Recovery, Part 2 | Toledo, Ohio personal injury lawyers

Here are more tips from our Toledo, Ohio personal injury lawyers on how to best maximize your recovery from your accident.

3.      Don't underestimate the insurance adjustors who contact you. Insurance adjustors handle claims for a living and are judged based on how much money they save for the company. They are not bad people, but rather good employees. Only you and your attorney are looking out for your best interests.

4.      Don't provide a statement to the adjuster. If an adjustor contacts you, don't make statements about the accident, your physical condition, and whether you are seeking treatment. You can settle any claims dealing with the damage to your vehicle, but injury statements can wait until you are ready. You may not know the full extent of your injuries at that time. A lawyer can stop the adjustor from having any further contact with you.

5.      Don't sign any medical authorization forms at the request of an insurance company. Insurance companies often try to get accident victims to sign and return authorization forms that allow them to obtain your medical records, not just from the accident but all your medical history. They may use this information to use previous health issues to explain your current conditions. Your attorney will ask you to sign a medical authorization form that allows only your information related to the accident to be sent and used for your case. This protects you from having personal information revealed.

6.      Start a file to document everything connected to your case. Keep every bill, police report, and document connected to your claim. The insurance company has a right to see evidence of medical bills for which you are seeking reimbursement, and if you reach a settlement, you may have to pay your provider for any portion of the bills they have paid. As well, keep track of any lost wages and have a doctor's note stating you cannot work. Have your employer create a documentation about your rate of pay and how much money you have lost due to your inability to work.

Look for the concluding tips tomorrow.