When you are injured in an accident and decide to pursue legal action, one of the most important people in your case is your personal injury lawyer. Your attorney will be your biggest advocate, helping you to navigate the legal process and ensuring that you receive the compensation you deserve. To be as effective as possible, however, it is important that you are completely honest with your personal injury attorney. To learn more and secure skilled legal representation, reach out to a Pikeville, KY personal injury lawyer to schedule your free consultation today.
Why is it Important to Be Completely Honest With Your Personal Injury Attorney?
The relationship you build with your attorney is the most important one during this time and should be founded on trust and confidentiality. Your attorney is legally and ethically required to keep the information you disclose private because of attorney-client privilege.
When people hold back information from their attorney for any reason, it can seriously hurt their case. There are many important reasons why complete honesty is important, starting with avoiding surprises.
Surprises are rarely good in personal injury law. If you hide information like details about the accident, your medical history, etc., the defense will likely uncover it during the investigation. If your attorney is caught off guard, it can impact their ability to negotiate, weaken your case, and damage your credibility. By being upfront with your lawyer about information that may potentially hurt your case, you can get ahead of it and prepare more effectively. If there are existing injuries, ways that you contributed to the accident, or seemingly embarrassing information you want kept private, informing your lawyer will ensure that they can build a stronger case and protect you from arguments the opposing side may make.
If they do not have all of the facts, your lawyer could build and present a case that does not have a leg to stand on. Sometimes, addressing uncomfortable or unfavorable information can be beneficial and allow you to control the way information is presented.
Total honesty is also important to ensure damages are accurately calculated. If you downplay your injuries or do not disclose some detriment you have experienced, whether it be for embarrassment or some other reason, you may not recover enough compensation to cover your needs. However, exaggerating your injuries can be harmful and damage your credibility if medical or other evidence contradicts your claims.
If your attorney builds your case based on lies or incomplete information, it can be damaging to your case as well as both your and your lawyer’s reputation. When hiring a personal injury attorney, it is always best practice to give them as much true information as possible, even details that seem insignificant. For more information and representation, reach out to an experienced lawyer today.
