Being injured in any kind of auto collision can be distressing and overwhelming. Knowing which mistakes to avoid after a Chicago bus accident can make the legal process easier for you, your loved ones, and your legal team.
Filing a lawsuit is a new experience for most people, so it is easy for errors or oversights to hurt your case and make it more challenging to get the compensation you deserve. Talking to a seasoned bus crash attorney early on and listening to their advice will help prevent some of these common issues. Call McCready Law today to schedule an initial consultation.
Immediately after a bus collision in Chicago, the most common mistakes people make are failing to establish they were in the vehicle and not receiving medical care.
If the accident is serious and police are called, anyone involved should check in with an officer and ensure their name is included on the list of passengers. Individuals should also keep documentation like tickets or receipts to help establish that they were on the bus when the incident occurred. Depending on the fare payment method, they may also want to keep credit card statements or digital trip records.
Receiving medical care after a bus accident is essential. To file a successful lawsuit, the injured person must prove that the crash caused their injuries. The longer they wait to see a doctor, the more difficult it is to make this connection.
Even if the injuries from the crash are not severe, it is a good idea to go to the emergency room or make an appointment with a primary care provider. At the very least, this will create evidence of the harm through medical reports, which can be examined later while pursuing adequate compensation.
Injured people can also make mistakes further along in the claims process that can harm their case. Talking to an insurance or bus company representative can be a major error. These entities want to pay out as little as possible and may use the injured person’s statements against them.
For example, an individual might unintentionally downplay their pain level, which the insurance company could use to justify paying less compensation. Injured people should also avoid posting about the accident on social media; they may unintentionally say something that hurts their case.
Another common mistake is not following a medical professional’s recommendations. If a doctor tells an injured person to stay home and rest for at least a week, they should not return to work the next day. This allows the responsible party to argue that the injured person worsened their injuries by ignoring medical advice.
Finally, anyone injured in a bus crash should not wait to contact an attorney. A lawyer could help their client avoid other mistakes and ensure they follow the time limits for filing a lawsuit. Call a Chicago legal professional today for more information about the mistakes individuals commonly make after a bus crash.
Understanding the mistakes to avoid after a Chicago bus accident will help your legal claim go as smoothly as possible. One significant downfall in these types of cases is waiting too long to talk to a lawyer. Schedule a free consultation with McCready Law Injury Attorneys today to meet with our knowledgeable legal team. We could examine your recent crash and begin building your case through evidence collection and negotiations with insurance companies.