How Your Personal Relationships Can Affect Your Personal Injury Claim
Michael Babboni
Personal Injury
When someone gets hurt on someone else's property, it can turn into a long and complicated matter, especially if the injured party and the property owner know each other. When there is no relationship, it often proves to be easier to be more objective when it comes to protecting yourself and your rights.Let's take a closer look at how your personal relationships can affect your personal injury claim and find out what you can do to remain objective.
A Complicated Relationship
If you get hurt on the property of someone you know, it can turn into an uncomfortable situation very quickly. Whether they are your friend, family, or neighbor, your relationship can complicate matters greatly. However, this shouldn't ever prevent you from filing a claim for your damages.
If you find yourself in this situation, there are a few things you definitely want to keep in mind when you are researching your legal options.
Premise Liability Claims
If you became injured due to the negligence of your friend or neighbor or because of a safety hazard on their property, then most of the time, the claim will be covered by the property owner's homeowner's insurance policy. After becoming injured, seek medical attention immediately and then file your personal injury claim so that you can receive damages for those injuries.
Since there is a relationship between you and the property owner, things can become more emotional. However, you need to remember that you are not filing your personal injury claim against your friend or neighbor; rather, you are filing it against their insurance company. It is necessary for you to do ensure that your medical expenses and bills you incurred following the accident are paid.
To help clear the air and remain objective, it never hurts to sit down with your friend and have a conversation about what has happened. You can better make the distinction to them and assure them that it is not anything personal.
Will My Claim Affect Them?
If it is a premise liability claim, it will probably not affect them much financially. There is a chance that their homeowner's insurance rates may rise slightly, but since you are filing a claim with their insurance company, there is no reason to go after their assets.
Assess Your Options
Before you file a claim and seek damages for your injuries, make sure to take the time to assess your options. It is also in your best interest to discuss the case and details with a qualified personal injury attorney before taking the next steps.
You should always have some kind of legal guidance before making any decisions or coming to any informal agreements because they can ultimately leave you exposed to different financial penalties and obligations that you could have otherwise avoided.
Filing Your Claim
If your friend doesn't want to take responsibility for the accident and pay toward your medical expenses, then you should then consider filing the claim and getting your premises liability case started. Again, calmly explain to them that you are not suing them; you are suing their insurance company.
No matter what, it will definitely prove to be an awkward situation for everyone, but don't let that stop you from seeking the compensation you need and deserve for your injuries and other damages. If you don't, you may find yourself in a worse position financially because you can't cover all the medical bills and expenses.