Injured in an Accident Over the Holidays? Here Are Seven Important Reasons to Prioritize Your Legal Rights

Were you injured in an accident during the holidays in Florida? If so, you are not alone. Residents and visitors alike regularly suffer injuries during the holiday season, and, in many cases, these injuries result from accidents that could (and should) have been avoided. If someone else is to blame for your injuries, you may be entitled to financial compensation, and you will want to discuss your legal rights with an experienced Florida accident lawyer promptly.

7 Reasons Not to Ignore Your Accident Claim During the Holidays

Even though it is the holiday season, you need to prioritize your legal rights. While you might prefer to focus on spending time with your family, unfortunately, this is not the right approach. If you wait to deal with your situation once the holidays are over, you may find that it is already too late.

With this in mind, here are seven reasons not to ignore your accident claim during the holidays:

1. You Need to Preserve Key Evidence Before It Disappears

Whether you were injured in an auto accident, boating accident, slip and fall, or any other type of traumatic accident, you need to preserve key evidence before it disappears. If you took photos or videos with your phone, these photos or videos will be helpful, but they won’t be enough on their own.

Preserving evidence at the accident scene is critical for proving why your accident happened and who (or what company) is responsible. When you hire a Florida accident lawyer to represent you, your lawyer will promptly conduct an investigation focused on gathering all of the evidence you need.

2. Your Injuries Could Get More Expensive if You Don’t Get the Treatment You Need

If you ignore your injuries from the accident, they could get worse. Ignoring your injuries could also lead to long-term (and potentially permanent) complications that could have been avoided. As a result, even though it is the holiday season, you still need to make sure you get the treatment you need—even if this means spending time in the hospital instead of spending time with your family.

3. The Insurance Companies Will Try to Use Any Unnecessary Delays Against You

If you wait to hire a lawyer or seek treatment after your accident, you can expect the insurance companies to use this against you. They will argue that you don’t have the evidence you need to prove liability, and they will argue that you are to blame for at least a portion of your medical bills. Unfortunately, in this scenario, they may be right.

To avoid these kinds of issues, you can—and should—take two simple steps: You should talk to a lawyer over the phone, and you should set aside the time to get a diagnosis. When it comes to getting a diagnosis and treatment, you can rely on your health insurance for now, and your lawyer can deal with any reimbursement issues for you if your accident claim is successful.

4. Your Costs from the Accident Could Be Much Greater Than You Think

Another critical reason not to ignore your accident claim is that your costs from the accident could be much greater than you think. Medical care has become incredibly expensive, and if you are unable to work (or limited in your ability to work), this will add to the long-term costs of the accident as well. Traumatic injuries can also cause significant pain, suffering and emotional trauma—and these are all non-financial costs for which you can—and should—seek just compensation under Florida law.

5. Documenting Your Costs Can Get Harder the Longer You Wait to Get Started

Filing a successful accident claim will require documentation of your financial and non-financial costs, and documenting your costs can get harder the longer you wait to get started. Your memory of key details will start to fade, and if you don’t have a clear record of your injuries’ day-to-day effects, you may not be able to prove all of the costs that you would otherwise be entitled to recover.

6. The Sooner You Get Started, the Sooner You Can Collect the Compensation You Deserve

Another key factor to keep in mind is that the sooner you get started, the sooner you can collect the compensation you deserve. Accident claims take time, and your costs will likely continue adding up while your claim is pending.

Again, you can get started by talking to a lawyer over the phone, and once you hire a lawyer to represent you, you can rely on your lawyer to handle the vast majority of the process on your behalf. Your lawyer will still need to get in touch, and you should answer the phone when your lawyer calls. But, aside from following your doctor’s advice and documenting your injuries’ day-to-day effects, you shouldn’t have to do much with your claim until after the holiday season is over.

7. If You Wait Too Long, You Won’t Get a Second Chance

The final key factor to keep in mind is that if you wait too long to assert your legal rights, you won’t get a second chance. If you can’t prove what happened, or if you can’t prove that you suffered your injuries in the accident, you won’t be able to recover the financial compensation you deserve. So, while you might prefer to focus on the holidays in the short term, in the long term, you will be glad that you made the right decision for you and your family.

Talk to an Experienced Florida Accident Lawyer at Searcy Denney for Free

At Searcy Denney, we represent Florida residents and visitors who have suffered serious injuries in all types of traumatic accidents. If you suffered serious injuries in an accident during the holidays, we strongly encourage you to contact us right away. To speak with an experienced Florida accident lawyer about your legal rights in confidence, call 800-780-8607 or tell us how we can contact you online now.