(661) 414-7100
Santa Clarita Car Accident Attorneys - Call (661) 414-7100
  • Home
  • About
    • Testimonials
    • Fees and Policies
    • The Process
  • Cases We Handle
    • Car Accidents
    • Motorcycle Accidents
    • Pedestrian Accidents
    • Bicycle Accidents
    • Brain Injury Cases
    • Wrongful Death
    • Spinal Cord Injuries
    • Estate Planning
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • Blog
    • Library
    • FAQ
    • Do It Yourself
    • Free Book
  • Get Started
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About
    • Testimonials
    • Fees and Policies
    • The Process
  • Cases We Handle
    • Car Accidents
    • Motorcycle Accidents
    • Pedestrian Accidents
    • Bicycle Accidents
    • Brain Injury Cases
    • Wrongful Death
    • Spinal Cord Injuries
    • Estate Planning
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • Blog
    • Library
    • FAQ
    • Do It Yourself
    • Free Book
  • Get Started
  • Contact

LAW OFFICE OF ROBERT MANSOUR

BLOG

(661) 414-7100

Waiting too long before seeing a doctor after an accident

3/10/2013

 
It's probably one of the top five reasons people screw up their own personal injury case - waiting too long before seeing a doctor after they've been injured in a car accident.  How long is too long?  Generally, anything beyond a week is too long.  Some insurance companies believe three days is too long. 

The point is this - if you've been injured, and even if you are not sure, you MUST go seek health care immediately because any delay will be used against you.  However, even if you did delay, all is not necessarily lost.   Some insurance companies will entertain any kind of self-help you did as "active" treatment.  In other words, you have to demonstrate what you did at home to alleviate your pain.  Did you ice the injury, did you sleep in and rest, did you take ibuprofen, did you lay down on your couch to rest, etc?  You need to explain that you didn't just sit around and do nothing for two weeks, then decide to see a doctor. 

However, the key is "convincing" an insurance adjuster you did more than sit around.  How can you do that?  Well, the best way to convince the adjuster is by telling your doctor about your self-help remedies during your first visit.  Therefore, you must not only tell the doctor or the intake person at the doctor's office but also write it down on any intake forms.  Documentation is everything.  Remind the doctor to include such information in any reports generated by the doctor.  At the very least, it needs to be in your records.  For example, the doctor's report can say, "Mr. Smith came to seem me two weeks after his accident.  He tried pain medication and ice at home to no avail.  He tried hot showers and laying down, again without significant improvement.  He eventually decided to visit with a doctor as his pain wasn't getting better."  Do you see how this is much better than the inference that you just sat around doing nothing?  Remember one of the biggest rules when it comes to personal injury cases: If something is not in your medical records or the doctor's reports, then it basically never happened as far as the insurance adjuster is concerned.

Robert Mansour handles personal injury cases in Santa Clarita and its surrounding communities including Valencia, Saugus, Canyon Country, Newhall, Castaic, Stevenson Ranch, Palmdale, Lancaster and beyond.  Call (661) 414-7100 for help with your accident case.

Can I bring value to your accident case?

3/2/2013

2 Comments

 
During my initial consultation with a potential personal injury client, the fundamental question that I'm thinking about during our first conference is whether or not I can bring any VALUE to their case as their attorney. In many cases, the answer is "no." That doesn't mean I don't want to help the injured client or I won't offer them my advice....it just means that if I take the case and act as their attorney, it won't do them much good. In fact, in some cases, bringing a lawyer on board can complicate matters and result in a negative financial result for the client. Some lawyers will take almost any case if they feel they can make some money....they unfortunately do not consider whether doing so would be helpful to the client.

Here is a perfect example of how this usually happens. A client will come into my office and present me with a property damage estimate of less than $1000. Upon further inspection, we realize that less than half of that estimate is for "parts" and the rest is for "labor." Furthermore, photos show minor damage to the car and now the client comes to me expecting me to perform some kind of "magic" for them. In some cases, they fought with the adjuster and now they've come to me. Truth is, no matter what I do, the insurance company for the responsible party is going to treat their case as a "MIST" claim. MIST stands for "Minor Impact Soft Tissue." As such, insurance companies rarely offer much money on these kinds of cases unless the client's case is very unique in some way. Some insurance companies have a policy where they don't offer any more than $500 to $3000 on MIST cases, no matter what. If you have minor property damage, you're going to get a small offer. That's just the way it goes.

Every so often, a jury will disagree with the insurance company, but in most cases, the insurance companies know that juries are stingy and won't give much money to the injured party either. The insurance companies are banking on the fact they are probably going to win 80% of the minor cases that go to trial.

Therefore, if I can't bring any value to the case, I generally won't get involved. I tell the clients, "If I take a third of your recovery as my fee (which is a common attorney's fee), then you will be left with little to nothing after this case is done." In these cases, I generally give the clients some tips about how to resolve their case without a lawyer. Remember, if I can't bring value, then I'm reluctant to get involved.

Keep in mind that all cases are different and unique, so you should take this blog post (and anything else you read on the internet) with a grain of salt. At least talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer and get some advice. That way, you can make an educated decision. In some cases, you may even want to get two opinions just to make sure.
2 Comments

    Categories

    All
    Attorneys
    Basic Speed Law
    Case Value
    Comparative Negligence
    Compensation
    Damages
    Disc Injuries
    Fear Of Driving
    Hip Injuries
    Hit And Run Accidents
    Injuries
    Insurance Adjusters
    Insurance Adjusters
    Insurance Companies
    Knee Injuries
    Lawyers
    Liability Insurance
    Liens
    Lost Earnings
    Medical Expenses
    Medical Expenses
    Medical Payments Coverage
    Medical Treatment
    Meeting With Your Lawyer
    Neck Fractures
    Pedestrian
    Personal Injury
    Photos
    Physical Therapy
    Police Reports
    Property Damage
    Proposition 213
    Psychological Effects
    Rotator Cuff Injuries
    Santa Clarita
    Seatbelts
    Self Help
    Settlement
    Settling
    Shoulder Injuries
    Social Media
    Social Security Numbers
    Speed Limit
    Statute Of Limitations
    Types Of Accidents
    Um Coverage
    Underinsured Motorist Coverage
    Uninsured Motorist
    Uninsured Motorist Coverage
    Value Of Injury Case

    Archives

    February 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    October 2018
    June 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

    by Robert Mansour

    Robert Mansour is a personal injury lawyer serving Santa Clarita, Valencia, Saugus, Canyon Country, Newhall, Stevenson Ranch, Castaic and surrounding communities.

 Home | Attorney Profile | Practice Areas | Testimonials | Personal Injury Blog | Personal Injury Library | FAQ 
 Videos | Get Started | Directions | Google Maps | Disclaimer | Google Reviews | Contact Us

Visit our Google Business Page | Like Us on Facebook | Our Yahoo! Business Listing | Follow Us on Twitter  
Linked In Profile | Please give us a great review on Yelp | Our YouTube Channel | BrandYourself Profile
FAQ RSS Feed |  Blog RSS Feed | Library RSS Feed | Our Bing Local Business Listing | Cornell University Listing

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.  By appointment.  If you are trying to reach us after hours or on the weekends, the best way is to use the form on the "Contact" page or simply send an email to info@valencialawyer.com

* The information on this website does not create an attorney/client relationship.  It is not legal advice and is presented for general informational purposes only.  Always consult with a professional when handling legal matters as the law is constantly changing.

Law Office of Robert M. Mansour, 28212 Kelly Johnson Pkwy #110, Santa Clarita, CA 91355 (661) 414-7100
(661) 414-7100