Did you suffer an injury because of another person's negligence? If so, it's possible to be compensated for all your financial losses related to the injury. If it was a car accident, you will be reimbursed for personal property. If you were injured, you will receive compensation to cover your medical bills, lost wages while recovering, and potentially compensation for pain and suffering. A lot is on the line, which is why it can be tempting to not tell the whole truth about what happened so that the odds of being compensated are in your favor. This is a huge mistake for the following reasons.
Injury Cases Can Go to Trial
Many people lie because they want to have a recent injury covered by the more recent accident or because they are simply looking for a bigger payday for having to suffer the injury in the first place. While it is true that most injury cases will be settled in mediation, there is always the possibility that the case could go to trial. If this does happen, you will end up having to testify about your case, which means telling your story under oath.
If you lied at all about the accident, It puts you in a situation where you have two potential outcomes. You tell the truth and you are caught for having a conflicting story from what was originally told, or you lie under oath and face potential jail time. Lying can cause your entire injury claim to be devalued and can even result in the claim being thrown out.
Your Claim May Be Investigated
When a defendant's insurance company feels like you are not being truthful with their claim, they may have someone investigate the case further. Your life may be put under a microscope to determine how truthful you are about the injury.
For example, an investigator may go to your gym to try to find out if you have been visiting and how active you've been. They'll dig into your social media accounts to find evidence that proves your statements about the recovery process are accurate. They may talk with coworkers or friends about the injury to determine just how bad it really is.
If the insurance company is able to find proof that you were not honest with your injury claim, they may try to use this information to deny you compensation. You'll lose any leverage you have in mediation, potentially lose the services of your lawyer, and have to pay legal fees to fight their claims in court.
Speak with your personal injury lawyer about is the best course of action for you.