When you win a personal injury case, you may not get all the financial compensation that you ask for. One reason plaintiffs may not recover as much as they’d hoped is because they failed to mitigate their injury damages. In other words, they didn’t take reasonable steps to facilitate recovery.

If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s recklessness or negligence, it’s important that you mitigate those damages. Your attorney will advise you what to do based on your specific circumstances.

Generally, you should take the following steps:

• See a doctor right away. Delaying your medical treatment can give judges, juries and insurance companies the impression that your injuries weren’t as bad as you claim. Some people avoid seeing the doctor due to finances, fear, or time constraints. That can work against you, however; especially if an earlier visit would have helped reduce your injuries.
• Follow the doctor’s orders. If you’re hoping to recover compensation for injuries, you need to follow your doctor’s orders to the letter. Think about how bad it would look to a jury if there’s evidence you engaged in strenuous activities or went back to work, while claiming those same injuries have forever altered your life. Make sure you attend every doctor’s visit, fill every prescription, and rest as directed—even if it means lost income and stir-craziness.
• Disable or lock down your social media accounts. Your social media accounts are fair game for the defense. Your attorney will likely caution you to avoid posting about the case. You should also avoid sharing photos of activities that indicate your injuries weren’t as serious as you claim. Even if that’s not true, it can seriously harm your case. The best thing to do is lock down or disable your social media accounts until the case is settled.
• Don’t take unnecessary risks. If your doctor tells you that you can’t go back to work, don’t go back to work. If you’re healing from a major back injury, don’t go waterskiing. The last thing you need is to exacerbate your injuries and lower your chances of receiving full compensation.
• Follow your attorney’s advice. Finally, make sure that you follow your attorney’s advice, too. Although it might be difficult to understand why you have to jump through certain hoops, they want to win your case. Don’t give the defense any ammunition to use against you.

Get a Consultation From an Ohio Personal Injury Lawyer

If you’ve been injured thanks to someone else’s negligence or recklessness, I can help. When you call my office, I’ll listen to the facts of your case and talk to you about your legal options. I can help you recover compensation for everything from lost wages to medical malpractice. Follow my advice, and I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call 877.614.9524 now.