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Three Paperwork Mistakes To Avoid During Your Personal Injury Case

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A car accident that leaves you injured often means that you will have to file a claim and a lawsuit to get the compensation you deserve. This also means that you will end up juggling a lot of paperwork during the claims and court proceedings. Make sure you aren't guilty of any of the paperwork mistakes that could compromise your case.

#1: Giving up the originals

The originals are the most important pieces of paperwork you will receive. This includes copies of the police report, all insurance correspondence, medical bills, and anything else that pertains to your case. Under no circumstances should you turn these originals over to an insurance company or the lawyers for the other party. Even with your own legal team it's better to make copies of the originals. This way if anything is ever misplaced you can easily make a new copy. Otherwise, you risk losing the originals forever and they aren't always easy to replace.

#2: Tossing important paperwork

No bit of paperwork is too minor to keep. Most people are well aware that they should keep the major things like medical and repair bills, but there are lots of other small pieces of paperwork that can end up being important. Copies of paycheck stubs that details missing wages or benefits used due to the accident, for example, can be used to prove your need for compensation. Replacement transportation costs, receipts for any over the counter injury treatments, and anything from the hospital are also vital to building your case. If in doubt, don't throw it out unless your lawyer gives you the okay.

#3: Missing filing deadlines

There will be a lot of deadlines pertaining to your case. The most important one is the deadline for filing your initial claim in court. Make sure you know what the statute of limitations is in your state because you won't be able to sue for damages once it has passed. Once you file, you will be provided with several more deadlines, such as when to have all paperwork filed or when to appeal if your case doesn't go your way. Keep a calendar devoted to your case and make sure all deadlines are clearly marked so you are in no danger of missing any.

Working with a personal injury lawyer is the single best way to ensure you don't make any mistakes with your paperwork or miss filings deadlines.


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