Be Trial-Ready For Your Personal Injury Case

Be Trial-Ready For Your Personal Injury Case

23 March 2020
 Categories: , Blog


When an auto accident that was not your fault lands you in the hospital, you may also end up in court. Not all personal injury cases go to court, but you might want to know what to expect if it does. Read on to find out more about the pretrial process and three ways you could help your personal injury case.

1. Be Careful When in Public

When victims are forced to file a lawsuit against the other driver's insurer, those insurers are bound to sit up and notice. Insurance companies make profits from their client's premiums and not by paying claims to victims. It's in their best interest to make sure they pay as little as possible, and they do that by keeping watch over victims. Keeping watch means not just sending investigators to watch your public movements but also by scrutinizing almost every aspect of your life. For instance, accident victims could be subject to the following actions:

  • Requesting copies of your medical records from not just the accident but from prior medical conditions. This is an attempt to cast doubt on your current injuries by claiming preexisting conditions are to blame.
  • Reviewing your past driving history for previous accidents or other traffic violations.
  • Seeking out information on any past personal injury cases you have been part of.

2. Be Upfront With Your Legal Team

Your lawyer needs all the information possible to properly represent you. The law is on your side, and nearly everything you say to your attorney is confidential. If you have been involved in any of the following, be sure you tell your lawyer about it and give them the chance to be prepared for it if it comes up before or during the trial:

  • Criminal matters
  • Past marriages
  • Past employment issues
  • Previous driving violations and accidents
  • All lawsuits, whether you were the plaintiff or the defendant
  • Previous injuries from all causes and all medical conditions

3. Keep a Pain Diary

This may not sound like the type of diary you would enjoy using but it's important to your case. Pain diaries or journals should be started as soon as you are able and used continuously throughout your case. Note your day-to-day issues, medication side-effects, what happened at a medical appointment, and more. This information will be much appreciated when it's time to answer questions about the accident and your medical treatments later on.

For more tips on what might occur during the pretrial time period, speak to a law firm like Drivon Turner & Waters PLC.