Why Must I Be Completely Honest With My Personal Injury Attorney?

When you are injured by the negligent actions of another person, exploring your legal options is important. Unfortunately, in an attempt to ensure the success of their case, many withhold important information from their legal representation. Although you may assume that omitting details about your accident when meeting with Irvine personal injury lawyers can help improve the outcome of your case, it often has the opposite effect. As such, the following blog explores the importance of being honest with your personal injury attorney.

Why Is It Imperative to Be Honest With an Injury Attorney?

One of the most important reasons you must be honest with your personal injury attorney is because the insurance company often already has access to information about you. As such, if you hide a prior injury, for example, your attorney will not be able to adequately prepare and defend you. By providing your lawyer with all the information they need to help your case, it ensures they can identify potential issues and craft arguments and strategize to best protect you. However, when your lawyer learns about the harmful information from the opposing party later in the case and not from you at the beginning of their representation, it leaves you with fewer options to defend these claims.

In addition, being honest and upfront with your attorney is critical to your credibility in court. If you fail to share important information with your lawyer, such as that you were not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident, it can make you look less credible, thus potentially negatively impacting the outcome of your case.

Unfortunately, many personal injury victims often lie or omit important details because they are embarrassed or believe the information will hurt their case. However, ensuring you inform your attorney of these details fully and early on is critical, as omissions and lies may destroy your case, whereas the potentially harmful information may only reduce the value of your claim.

What Else Can I Do to Aide My Case?

In addition to being completely honest with your attorney, there are a number of steps you can take to help fight for a favorable outcome in your case.

One of the most important things you can do is adhere to all medical advice provided by your doctor. Even if you feel fine, going against their orders can be used against you in court to minimize the severity of your injury and reduce the value of your claim. For example, if you are on bed rest for a concussion after an accident for two weeks, but you are seen in a supermarket lifting a heavy box only ten days after the order, the other party’s insurance will use that against you. That being said, adhering to all medical orders is critical for your health and the success of your case.

When you are involved in an accident due to the negligent actions of another person, the most important thing you can do is connect with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible. At California Personal Injury Law Firm, APC, our dedicated team will assist you in every step of this process to help you fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us today to learn how we may be able to assist you.