[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.truittlawoffices.com\/blog\/car-accident-lawsuit\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.truittlawoffices.com\/blog\/car-accident-lawsuit\/","headline":"9 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Car Accident Lawsuit","name":"9 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Car Accident Lawsuit","description":"There are over 6 million car accidents every year. Many of these\u00a0car accidents\u00a0turn into lawsuits further down the road. But even a few simple mistakes can ruin your car accident lawsuit. We\u2019ve put together this guide to help you know what you should and shouldn\u2019t do during your case. 1....","datePublished":"2019-10-20","dateModified":"2025-07-07","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.truittlawoffices.com\/blog\/author\/richardtruitt\/#Person","name":"Richard Truitt","url":"https:\/\/www.truittlawoffices.com\/blog\/author\/richardtruitt\/","identifier":13,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/873e99ebaf9a19c98d76d750d942377a4e6f6cd1e89779c7698fb25efd30f015?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/873e99ebaf9a19c98d76d750d942377a4e6f6cd1e89779c7698fb25efd30f015?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Truitt Law Offices","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.truittlawoffices.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Truitt-Law-Offices-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.truittlawoffices.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Truitt-Law-Offices-Logo.png","width":427,"height":59}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.truittlawoffices.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/car-accident-lawsuit.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.truittlawoffices.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/car-accident-lawsuit.jpg","height":1328,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/www.truittlawoffices.com\/blog\/car-accident-lawsuit\/","about":["Car Accidents"],"wordCount":995,"articleBody":"There are over 6 million car accidents every year. Many of these\u00a0car accidents\u00a0turn into lawsuits further down the road.But even a few simple mistakes can ruin your car accident lawsuit.We\u2019ve put together this guide to help you know what you should and shouldn\u2019t do during your case.1. LyingLying won\u2019t do anything to help your case, this includes if you were in a\u00a0drunk driving accident\u00a0or a\u00a0distracted driving accident.You might think exaggerating your injuries or the damages to your car will get you more benefits. But the court does its research. They\u2019ll find out if you\u2019re lying, and when this happens, you might not be able to get any benefits at all.In fact, putting false information on your insurance application can actually void your entire claim.But fortunately, this is an easy mistake to avoid. Always be honest with your lawyer about what happened during and after the car accident, even if you are at fault for the\u00a0rear-end car accident\u00a0or a\u00a0head-on car accident.2. Not Getting a Police ReportWhen the police arrive at the scene of the car accident, one of the things they should do is create a report. If, for some reason, they don\u2019t fill out this document on their own, make sure you ask them for one.You should then get a copy of this police report (which is something your lawyer might do for you). This report can be an important piece of evidence for your lawsuit.3. Skipping Your Doctor\u2019s AppointmentsYou should always visit your doctor after a car accident. It is common to experience\u00a0injuries after car accidents. If you\u2019re in a lot of pain or have a serious injury, you may want to head to the emergency room instead.Don\u2019t skip these appointments.You won\u2019t notice any symptoms for some car accident injuries until a day or two after the accident, such as whiplash. Because of this, you should go to the doctor, even if you feel fine.Skipping appointments can reflect negatively on your case. It can make people think you aren\u2019t actually as hurt as you claim.Besides, your safety and health should be your top priority after a car accident, so make sure you show up for every doctor\u2019s appointment you scheduled.4. Not Telling Your Doctors\u00a0EverythingWhen you\u2019re at the doctor\u2019s office, don\u2019t skip over even the smallest detail.You should tell your doctor about everything that happened during the accident. Make sure you let them know about any amount of pain or discomfort you\u2019re feeling, no matter how small.Remember, many car accident injuries won\u2019t show up until a day or two after the accident. Something you think is a minor discomfort now can turn into a serious injury later.Don\u2019t be afraid of sounding silly.This isn\u2019t a time to mince words. It\u2019s better to share everything than miss something and suffer the consequences later. This will also give you a record of every potential injury, which can prove they were a result of the accident.5. Not Taking PicturesDo your best to gather as much evidence as possible.Did you get a bruise or a broken bone from the accident? Take a picture.Did your car get dented or damaged? Take a picture.Did some of your personal belongings get ruined during the accident? Take a picture.If you don\u2019t feel comfortable taking these pictures yourself, you can talk to your lawyer about it. They can send a professional photographer to do the job for you.Forgetting to take pictures means you might not have enough proof to back up your claims.6. Getting Rid of EvidenceJust as it\u2019s important to gather evidence, make sure you don\u2019t get rid of any important evidence.This might seem obvious, but it\u2019s easy to accidentally make this mistake.For example, if you broke one of your bones during the accident and got a cast, it can serve as proof of your injury once you take it off. So don\u2019t let the doctors throw it away.You should also save any pill bottles or prescriptions you got as a result of the accident.7. Talking to Other People About Your CaseNever talk to other people about your case, including friends and family.Certain people, like defense lawyers or insurance adjusters, may try to contact you during your case. But don\u2019t tell them anything. They can use anything you say against you later.This also means you should keep any information about your case off social media. Defense lawyers will probably check out your social media accounts during a trial, and they can also use anything they find against you in court.8. Signing Anything Without Talking to Your LawyerNever sign any forms from anybody without talking to your lawyer. Otherwise, you may not understand what you\u2019re signing, and it can cause you to lose your case.9. Making Mistakes When Filling out FormsYou\u2019ll have to fill out a lot of different forms during your car accident case. You should always talk to your lawyer before working on any of these forms. Even a simple mistake can ruin your case.That\u2019s why it\u2019s always better to hire a lawyer instead of trying to handle your lawsuit on your own.Poor Communication With Your Lawyer During Your Car Accident LawsuitOne of the biggest mistakes you can make during your car accident lawsuit is hiring a lawyer who doesn\u2019t communicate with you.After all, this is your case. Your lawyer should keep you in the loop, so you need to make sure you hire a reputable lawyer you feel comfortable with.Not sure where to look? We can help. Make sure you get in touch with us today!Visit Our Indiana Car Accident Injury Law Offices"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.truittlawoffices.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"9 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Car Accident Lawsuit","item":"https:\/\/www.truittlawoffices.com\/blog\/car-accident-lawsuit\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]