Importance Of Credibility In Your Florida Personal Injury Case
If you have a personal injury case, you should know that whether or not you are credible can affect the outcome of your case. Insurance companies understand this, and the at-fault party’s insurance company will do its best to discredit you. Our skilled personal injury attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm know the tactics insurers use to attack the credibility of victims and how to protect your credibility. We can offer legal guidance and help protect the value of your claim.
What Is Credibility and Why Is It Important?
When someone is credible, others see them as trustworthy and believable. Credibility also applies to evidence. Credibility is vital in a personal injury case because a credible victim is more likely to recover the compensation they deserve. A jury is more likely to empathize and side with a credible victim. This situation may influence the insurance company to make a reasonable offer because they want to prevent the case from going to court, where a jury may award much higher compensation to the claimant.
A jury is not likely to side with a claimant with less credibility. When a claimant is less credible, the insurance company may be unwilling to make a reasonable offer. The insurance company may not feel worried about going to court since they know in court, they may be able to undermine the victim’s credibility even further. In such a situation, the insurance company may feel they can win the case or be asked to pay a small amount of money.
What Factors Into a Victim’s Credibility?
Various things factor into whether you are seen as credible or not. The following are some of these things;
- Criminal record
- Driving record
- Personal background
- Financial stability
- Statements about the accident
For example, you may be seen as credible if you make consistent statements about what happened and don’t have a history of lying. On the other hand, your credibility may be questioned if you make an initial statement about the accident, then your story changes later on. Your credibility may also be questioned if you have a criminal background and poor financial credit. If you have poor financial credit, it may be assumed that you are seeking money because you are desperate.
How the Insurance Company May Try To Damage Your Credibility
Below are some of the ways the insurance company may try to damage your credibility;
- Going through your financial history
- Stalking your social media pages
- Digging up criminal records or old traffic tickets
- Asking for full access to your entire medical history and combing through it, for example, with the hope of finding out that you have a mental issue or a pre-existing condition that you did not disclose
How You Can Establish Credibility
Below are some of the ways you can establish credibility in your Florida personal injury case;
- Seeking prompt medical attention
- Giving consistent statements regarding what happened
- Following your doctor’s orders
- Avoiding engaging in activities that may contradict how serious you claim your injury is
Contact Us for Legal Help
Our Miami personal injury attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm are here to help protect your legal interests. We have been helping personal injury victims recover the compensation they deserve for years. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in the Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Tampa, Jacksonville, Ocala, Orlando, Bradenton, Daytona Beach, and West Palm Beach areas.
Source:
law.cornell.edu/wex/credibility
