Georgia injury lawyer discusses why telling the truth in a personal injury case is the most important element of the claim.
Injured in a Georgia car accident? The most important part of your case is your credibility. Ever watch a legal show on TV. The witness goes up to the stand, her hand is placed on a Bible or she raises her hand, and is asked
“Do you swear or affirm to tell truth.”
Just Tell The Truth
If you want good money for your Georgia personal injury case, then TELL THE TRUTH! BE CREDIBLE! By far, the number one mistake that destroys the value of a car accident or other injury case is saying and doing things that negatively impact credibility. If the client wants to turn their million dollar case into a $50,000 case, all they have to do is selectively withhold facts, exaggerate, embellish, or better yet lie. Some clients believe that if they withhold facts, exaggerate, embellish or better yet outright lie that the insurance company or the defendant will not learn this information and their case will be stronger. This is a terrible misconception that many personal injury clients have.
The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth is that jurors, judges, insurance companies, and defendants will overlook a weakness or a hole in an injured person’s case if they find the injured person is credible. Webster defines “truth” as “sincerity – integrity”. Webster defines credible as “capable of being believed; plausible, reliable.” The injured person must tell the truth and hold nothing back from her lawyer. The rationalization has already begun. I hear the internal dialogue: I don’t lie! I tell the truth! I would never do such a thing! Let me utilize some real life examples to put this into perspective.
In the personal injury context, the lawyer may ask the injured person, have you ever had any problems in the past with your neck? The injured person responds no. A year later, the lawyer gets medical records showing that the injured person had problems with her neck for two years. The lawyer confronts the client, and the client says, “I thought you were asking if I ever hurt my neck in an accident!” The injured person may not have intentionally withheld the information, but it certainly will look that way to a jury, judge, insurance company or defendant. The injured person must tell their lawyer and treating doctors about all prior medical conditions and/or problems – The Truth, The Whole Truth & Nothing But The Truth will help person injured in an accident maximize their compensation.
Still Have Personal Injury Questions?
If you have any questions about a Georgia car accident, call your personal injury lawyer at (762) 323-1460.
