On its face a personal injury claim is simple. First, you establish the liability of the other party. This may be easy (e.g. rear-end collision) or more difficult (e.g. multi-vehicle collision). Then you establish the measure of damages (e.g. medical bills, lost wages, property damage). However, even in the clearest cases of liability and the most straightforward of medical causation, your claim can be undermined and devalued if you lack credibility.
A determination of credibility happens in a number of ways that are not necessarily the same in every case. For instance, you can hurt your credibility by telling your insurance company a different version of the accident than you told the investigating officer. Other examples of behavior that could hurt credibility include:
- Failure to disclose a criminal conviction on answers to the defendant’s requests for information.
- Not disclosing a prior injury that occurred before your accident.
- Claiming injuries but not seeking treatment for them.
Regardless of whether your omissions or inconsistencies were intentional, the insurance companies and their lawyers will look at your claim (and its value) negatively if they deem you to be a less than credible witness. Your amount of liability will be questionable and the seriousness of your injuries will be in dispute. Don’t let this happen to you. Establishing yourself as a credible witness is the cornerstone to resolving a personal injury claim for the greatest amount.
If you have questions your personal injury lawsuit, contact us. We will provide a free, no obligation case evaluation.
