Mistakes That You Can'T Afford To Make During The Discovery Phase Of A Personal Injury Case

After an injury and the subsequent hiring of a personal injury attorney, your case will progress through different stages. While you might be eager to reach a settlement, each of these stages requires patience on your behalf. One stage that can particularly be arduous is the stage of discovery. This is a time at which both sides' attorneys dig into the specifics of the injury, your post-injury case, and almost every other small detail that relates to your case in some way. As trying as this phase can be, here are some mistakes that you cannot afford to make.

Lie To Your Attorney

People in personal injury cases can often feel tempted to lie to their attorney. Doing so, however, not only harms the trust that you and your legal professional have, but it can very quickly cause your case to unravel. For example, if you misrepresent how your accident and injury occurred, your attorney will build a case around what you say. When you present your case to the other party, his or her attorney can quickly shoot it down because they're aware of what actually happened. It's imperative to be as honest about every detail as you can when you discuss the case with your legal representation.

Destroy Evidence

You may be worried about a certain part of your case that you feel may hinder your ability to get a good settlement. This belief could compel you to destroy some sort of evidence, whether it's getting rid of a photo that tells part of the story or removing some sort of physical evidence from the scene. Tampering in this manner is a good way to have your attorney decide to no longer represent you. Or, if the attorney continues to work with you, it's possible for the other side to reject your settlement demand and a judge to subsequently dismiss your case.

Get Impatient And Give Up

Because the discovery process is long and not particularly enjoyable, especially if you're feeling unwell because of your injury, it can be tempting to want to give up. The idea of being embroiled in a legal battle may not be appealing, and you might simply tell your attorney to drop the case because you don't want to go through the rigors of discovery. You should remember that you've already come this far, and that means that you're constantly getting closer to receiving the settlement that you deserve.

Contact a firm, like Radano & Lide, for more help.

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