After being injured in a serious accident, the smartest step you can take to protect your rights is to speak with an attorney. Our Scotts Valley personal injury lawyers can review your case for free and provide the guidance you need to make the right decisions regarding your claim. We believe that every accident victim deserves high-quality representation, which is why our law firm accepts cases on a contingency fee basis. You won’t have to pay anything upfront, and if we don’t win, you won’t owe any attorney’s fees. Our lawyers and outstanding support staff have won more than $300 million in personal injury and wrongful death cases. To set up a free consultation, call us today at 1-800-GO-HARRIS.

What Kinds of Cases Does Harris Personal Injury Lawyers Accept in Scotts Valley?

• Motorbike Crashes
• Bike Accidents
• Car Accidents
• Public, Tour, and Other Bus Accidents
• Big-Rig Accidents
• Rideshare Vehicle Accidents
• Premises Liability
• Slips and Falls
• Dog Attacks
• Turo Accidents
• Aircraft Accidents
• Spinal Injuries
• Serious Burn Injuries
• Brain Injuries
• Pedestrian Injuries
• Train Accidents
• Scooter Accidents
• Boat Accidents
• Wrongful Death
• Other Personal Injuries

How Soon Should I Visit a Doctor?

If you were hurt through no fault of your own and you intend to file a personal injury claim, you should undergo a medical evaluation as soon as possible. Even if your injuries don’t seem that serious, you’ll need official documentation to tie them to the accident and to prove their severity. Below are just a few reasons why you should seek medical care right away:

• To Document Your Injuries: Simply telling the insurance company that you’ve suffered back pain and can’t return to work won’t be enough to obtain a settlement. You’ll need an official diagnosis and prognosis to recover compensation for your damages. Besides medical records, your Scotts Valley personal injury attorney may also prove the severity of your injuries using medical expert witness testimony, photographs of your injuries, and your personal injury journal.
• To Prevent Your Condition from Progressing: Many kinds of injuries can progress rapidly if left untreated, possibly resulting in permanent complications. Undergoing treatment right away might improve your prognosis.
• To Tie Your Injuries to the Accident: To win a settlement, you’ll need to prove liability, causation, and damages. Even if you can demonstrate that the defendant was negligent and that you’ve suffered damages, you won’t be able to recover compensation unless you can prove causation. The sooner you undergo a medical assessment, the easier it may be for your Scotts Valley personal injury lawyer to prove causation.
• To Demonstrate That You’re Taking Your Healthcare Seriously: There are all sorts of ways that a personal injury claimant’s own negligence could cause their condition to worsen. One way is to put off the medical evaluation. If the insurance company finds out that you didn’t seek care right away, they might say that you’ve failed to mitigate your damages and therefore shouldn’t be compensated for 100 percent of your losses. This can be a challenging dispute to overcome without the help of a skilled accident attorney. Your lawyer can review the facts of your case to determine if your symptoms were latent or whether a reasonable person might have put off their medical care under the same circumstances. Your attorney can also investigate whether your prognosis would have been the same even if you had undergone an immediate evaluation. The bottom line—even if you delayed treatment, it may still be possible to recover compensation for all your damages, but it’s important that you visit a doctor right away and consult an attorney at the earliest possible point in time.

How Could Social Media Affect My Claim?

Put simply, discussing your case on social media won’t help your situation, but it could certainly lead to complications that have the potential to cause delays or even reduce the value of your claim. Social networking sites are a primary source of evidence for insurance adjusters who are tasked with finding reasons to dispute claims. Even a seemingly benign text post, photo, or video might be misrepresented to argue that you’re partially liable for your damages or that your injuries aren’t as severe as you’re claiming. For this reason, it’s wise to stay off social media entirely until the conclusion of your case.

Call 1-800-GO-HARRIS for a Free Consultation with a Personal Injury Lawyer in Scotts Valley

If you’ve been injured in Scotts Valley, turn to Harris Personal Injury Lawyers for guidance. What you say and do over the coming weeks and months could have a major impact on your financial future. Our attorneys will help you take the necessary steps to give your case the best possible chance of resulting in a fair settlement. Call us today at 1-800-GO-HARRIS or use our contact page to set up a free consultation.