Getting injured at a family Christmas gathering is never fun. And it's difficult to handle a personal injury when you're dealing with relatives. Here are some steps to take to smooth things over.
Take the Time You Need
First of all, it may be necessary to regroup so that you can behave calmly during the gathering. Removing yourself from the situation until you know what you'd like to do is a great idea.
Approach the Home Owners
It's often best to approach the homeowners before you approach other members of the family, to let them know what happened. You can collect their homeowners' insurance information and talk with them about what your next steps are. Working out a peaceful arrangement with the people responsible for your personal injury claim will help you move forward with greater ease.
Get a Medical Evaluation
Depending on the severity of your injury, your medical evaluation may be during or after the Christmas gathering. Don't skip this step, even if you are fairly certain of the extent of your injuries. You might need additional medical care that you aren't aware of. For example, in a slip and fall injury, you might have a lot of pain in your arm and think that's where most of the damage is. But if you fell from a height greater than your own, it's possible that you also have spinal damage. This type of injury may not hurt at first, but it's critical to get treatment right away. The bottom line is that a doctor's evaluation will help enumerate your injuries so that you can get proper care and compensation for them.
Talk Through Possible Solutions
Speak with the homeowners to determine what the best arrangements will be. The hosts might be wary of filing an insurance claim, but it's often the best way to protect you and the hosts. For example, while they may want to pay for your medical bills out of pocket, a tricky situation can arise if you realize that the injury is more complicated than you originally thought and it affects your life in a big way. When disputes arise, attorney services can step in to make arbitration simpler. Filing an insurance claim or lawsuit against a relative is a sticky situation, but the right personal injury attorney will understand how to treat the situation with respect for both parties and find a fair solution for everyone. Contact a business, such as A Affordable Attorney Gerling Law Group, for more information.
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