Laguna Niguel Car Accident Attorneys

Despite advancements in safety technology, motor-vehicle collisions are still a leading cause of unintentional injury and death in California. If you were hurt in a crash because someone else failed to act with reasonable care, our Laguna Niguel car accident attorneys can help you fight for fair compensation. We are proud to offer aggressive and compassionate legal services to personal injury victims and their families. For a free case review, call 1-800-GO-HARRIS.

Can I Post on Social Media After Filing My Claim?

You may have heard that it’s a bad idea to continue posting on social media platforms after a car accident. Even if you make a concerted effort to avoid discussing your claim or injury, anything you share could still have an impact on the outcome of your case. Here are just a few ways your social media activity could compromise your claim:

• Pictures Could Be Used to Argue That Your Injuries Are Not Serious: Maybe it’s just a snapshot of you by the pool, or a picture of you and your family by the lake. On the surface, these images seem innocuous, but in the hands of an insurer, those pixels could be leveraged to dispute the validity of your claim. For instance, if the insurance adjuster stumbles upon a picture of you being physically active, they could use this image to argue that your injuries have not caused any limitations or that you have failed to mitigate damages. As a result, your financial award may be reduced.

• Posts Could Be Used to Dispute the Value of Non-Economic Damages: As part of a personal injury claim, you may choose to pursue compensation for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. The insurance company may be looking for signs that you are exaggerating your pain and suffering. Social media posts could be used as evidence to support their defense.

• You Might Inadvertently Admit Fault: Were you doing something negligent just before the crash? Was your vehicle in unsafe condition due to your failure to perform reasonable maintenance? There are all sorts of reasons why you might be held partially liable. The last thing you want to do is post something online that leads to a liability dispute.

How Long Will It Take to Resolve My Auto Accident Case?

As much as we’d love to give you an exact answer, due to the countless factors involved in such cases, it’s impossible to estimate how long it might take to resolve your claim before we know the facts. Some cases can take just a few weeks before a settlement is reached; others can drag on for well over a year. With that in mind, let’s discuss factors that may play a role in determining the duration of your personal injury case:

• Strength of Your Evidence: In any personal injury case, you will have to prove liability, causation, and damages to obtain a financial award. One weak link, and your entire case could collapse. Our Laguna Niguel car accident lawyers can help you collect strong evidence to fortify your case and prevent disputes. Some evidence may be time-sensitive, so it is important that you schedule the free consultation as soon as possible—ideally within 24 hours of the crash. Bring along any evidence you have collected that may aid in the investigation.

• Recovery Time: While minor injuries may heal within a few weeks, if you sustained a more serious injury, it could take months for you to reach maximum medical improvement (the stage at which your condition has stabilized and further improvement is unexpected). On the road to recovery, you may encounter many unexpected costs in the form of additional medical procedures, prescription medication, home modifications, and other medical interventions. If you rush to file your claim before you have a clear idea of the full extent of your injuries—and the related expenses—the potential settlement may fall short of covering these costs. Often, it’s advised that claimants wait until they’ve reached maximum medical improvement before commencing the settlement negotiations.

• Number of Parties Involved: It’s not uncommon for liability in a car accident case to be shared by multiple parties. In such cases, parties may dispute the portion of fault assigned to them, leading to delays in proceedings. Our Laguna Niguel car accident attorneys can help mitigate such disputes by collecting evidence of liability and estimating each defendant’s portion of fault based on the facts of your case, applicable statutes, and relevant case law.

Call Us Today to Speak with a Laguna Niguel Car Accident Lawyer

Time is of the essence because valuable evidence might become unavailable within a matter of days. To speak with a member of our team in a free case review, call 1-800-GO-HARRIS or send us a message HERE.