If you're dealing with the aftermath of an accident and you've filed a personal injury claim, you need to do everything you can to protect your rights. Minor missteps can pose a substantial risk to you and your injury claim. Here are some tips to help you avoid those missteps:

Don't Deviate From the Facts

If you've been injured in an accident, be sure to stick to the facts. You want to avoid making any statements that might not be completely accurate. This includes statements that you make to law enforcement, insurance companies, and your doctors. Any type of inaccuracy in the things you say could be used against you, should your case go to trial. Not only that, but the insurance company can use inaccuracies to reduce the value of your final settlement offer. To protect yourself, always provide factual statements.

Go Into Social Media Hibernation

If you have an active social media presence, you'll need to cut back on these activities while you have an open personal injury claim. Anything you post can be used against you, including pictures and updates. If you do continue to post while you have an active personal injury claim, avoid hitting the delete button. Those deleted messages can still be found by a tech-savvy defense team. If you have your social media accounts set to private, you may think you're safe. However, that's not the case. During a personal injury case, private settings don't protect your information from prying eyes.

Say No to Recorded Conversations

If you haven't hired legal representation yet, the other party's insurance company or legal team may contact you. They may even ask for permission to record your conversations; if they do ask, don't give permission. Recorded statements can be used against you later. To protect yourself and your case, you need to do three things. First, hire a personal injury attorney. Second, refuse any and all recorded conversations. Finally, refer all contact from the insurance company to your attorney.

Keep Your Medical Records Private

If you're going through a personal injury claim right now, the other insurance company may want you to sign a medical release form. Before you sign that, be sure to talk to your attorney. When you sign a medical release form, you're giving the insurance company permission to access all your medical information, including records pertaining to past injuries. To protect your private medical records, don't sign the medical release form. Your attorney will ensure that the necessary medical reports make it to the insurance company.

For more information, speak to legal professionals like those at Steele Law Offices, LLC.