--- description: Find information about mistakes to avoid when preparing a personal injury claim. Call the DC lawyers at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. to discuss your case. title: Mistakes to Avoid | DC Injury Lawyer canonical: https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/mistakes-to-avoid/ date_modified: 2024-09-05T18:49:40+00:00 practice_area: mistakes-to-avoid --- Mistakes to Avoid | DC Injury Lawyer # Mistakes to Avoid [Home](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/) » Mistakes to Avoid What's On This Page View All Practice Areas Get free advice about the compensation you deserve. At Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C., our car accident attorneys fight tirelessly to secure the compensation you deserve, handling every aspect of your case to protect your rights. Trust us to stand by you and advocate aggressively on your behalf. "*" indicates required fields Name* First Last Name* Last Email** Phone*Are you a new client?*Are you a new client? *Yes, I'm a potential new client.No, I'm a current existing client.I'm neitherCase TypeCase TypeMotor Vehicle AccidentSlip & FallAssaultMedical MalpracticeAbuseWork InjuryOtherWere You at Fault?Were You At Fault?NoYesUnknownWhere Did The Incident Occur?Where Did The Incident Occur?Washington, D.C.VirginiaMarylandOtherDid The Accident Occur In the Last Two Years?Did The Accident Occur In the Last Two Years?YesNoShare Brief Description of the Incident* Send # Don’t Settle for Less than Your Case is Worth ## Take the Right Steps After an Accident The steps you take after an accident or injury can make the difference in your case. At [Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C.](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/attorney-profiles/), we want to make sure you get the compensation you deserve. Below are a few tips about the things you should do and avoid after an accident. ### Mistakes to Avoid **Don’t wait to get medical treatment: **Timely medical treatment after any type of accident is important for your health and any injury claim you may file. While you may not feel pain until hours or days after an accident, or think you can tough it out, you should seek a proper medical assessment immediately after an accident or as soon as you feel pain. You should also continue following up with your doctor until the pain is resolved. This can ensure you receive the care you need to identify and treat any medical issues. It can also ensure you have a clear record of injuries caused by your accident. **Don’t trust the insurance company: **Don’t be misled into thinking [insurance companies ](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/)will treat you fairly and automatically pay you the compensation you deserve. Remember, insurance companies are in business to collect premiums from their policyholders, not to pay out claims. **Don’t settle too quickly **– The time following an accident can be chaotic, and insurance companies may try to capitalize on this by making low-ball settlement offers to victims. For many who aren’t familiar with the law or insurance, any offer may seem adequate. However, when victims don’t take into account their past and future losses or the full extent of their damages, they risk settling for less than they need and deserve. #### THINGS TO DO AFTER AN ACCIDENT **Take immediate action** – After an accident, you only have a limited amount of time to file a claim for compensation. This time limit is known as the statute of limitations and it prevents victims and families from filing claims if too much time has passed. Aside from the deadlines in place, it’s always best to begin your claim as soon as possible with the help of an attorney. Taking immediate action is one of the most important things you can do for your case. **Take an active role** – Don’t sit back and leave your right to compensation in the hands of others who don’t have a stake in your best interests. Take the time to understand your legal rights and what you can do to protect them. Because this may not always be easy after an accident, especially when injuries are severe, consider working with a legal professional who can handle the complexities of your case and keep you informed while you focus on your recovery. Keep in mind that you can help your case by listening taking an active role. **Speak with a lawyer **– One of the biggest mistakes you can make following an injury is to try handling your case without the help of a lawyer. By working with an attorney, you risk settling too soon for less than you deserve or simply not receiving any compensation at all. An experienced attorney can make the difference in your case, and a passionate attorney will fight for the maximum compensation possible. ### Let Our Proven DC Injury Lawyers Help – Call For a FREE Consultation At Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C., we believe we are a valuable resource to victims and families who want to avoid mistakes during their case, hold wrongdoers accountable, and recover full and fair compensation after a preventable accident. Throughout the years, we’ve helped many injured victims and families do just that. **If you have questions about avoiding mistakes during the personal injury claim process and how our personal injury lawyers in Washington, DC can help you, [contact us](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/contact-us/) today for a free case review. We serve clients throughout the DC metro area.** ![Main CSCS Video - Thumb 1](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/1.png) Get free advice about the compensation you deserve. At Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C., our car accident attorneys fight tirelessly to secure the compensation you deserve, handling every aspect of your case to protect your rights. Trust us to stand by you and advocate aggressively on your behalf. [Free Case Evaluation](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/contact-us/) Visit Us in Person 1232 17th St NW Washington, DC 20036 The personal injury lawyers at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. serve the entire Washington, D.C. metro area, including [Virginia](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/virginia-personal-injury-attorney/) ( [Alexandria](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/alexandria-injury-lawyer/), [Arlington](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/arlington-va-personal-injury-lawyer/), [Fairfax](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/fairfax-va-personal-injury-attorney/), [Falls Church](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/personal-injury-lawyer-falls-church-va/), [Leesburg](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/personal-injury-attorney-leesburg-va/), [Manassas](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/personal-injury-attorney-manassas-va/), [Northern Virginia](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/personal-injury-lawyer-northern-virginia/), and [Woodbridge](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/woodbridge-va-personal-injury-lawyer/)), and [Maryland](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/maryland-personal-injury-lawyer/) ([Bethesda](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/bethesda-personal-injury-lawyer/), [Bowie](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/personal-injury-lawyer-bowie-md/), [Frederick County](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/frederick-county-md-personal-injury-lawyer/), [Greenbelt](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/personal-injury-lawyer-greenbelt-md/), [Hyattsville](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/hyattsville-personal-injury-lawyer/), [Laurel](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/laurel-personal-injury-attorney/), [Montgomery County](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/personal-injury-lawyers-in-montgomery-county-md/), [Prince George’s County](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/personal-injury-lawyer-prince-georges-county/), [Rockville](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/personal-injury-attorney-rockville-md/), [Silver Spring](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/silver-spring-personal-injury-lawyer/), [Upper Marlboro](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/personal-injury-lawyer-upper-marlboro-md/), and [Waldorf](https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/waldorf-personal-injury-lawyer/)). ```json-ld {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"LegalService","@id":"https://chaikinandsherman.com/#firm","name":"Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel Personal Injury Lawyers","url":"https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/","telephone":"+1-202-659-8600","email":"publicrelations@dc-law.net","logo":"https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/new-logoBaskerville@2x.png","image":"https://www.chaikinandsherman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/cscs-firm-photo.jpg","description":"Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel is a Washington D.C. personal injury law firm with decades of experience representing accident victims throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia.","foundingDate":"1969","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1232 17th St NW","addressLocality":"Washington","addressRegion":"DC","postalCode":"20036","addressCountry":"US"},"founder":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Joseph Chaikin","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1232 17th St NW","addressLocality":"Washington","addressRegion":"DC","postalCode":"20036","addressCountry":"US"}},{"@type":"Person","name":"Ira Sherman","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"1232 17th St NW","addressLocality":"Washington","addressRegion":"DC","postalCode":"20036","addressCountry":"US"}}],"employee":[{"@type":"Attorney","name":"Allan M. 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