After being involved in a car accident, your priorities and those of your insurance company couldn’t be more opposite. As you try to restore yourself physically and financially, the insurance company will try to minimize its liability to you, and consequently, give you the least amount of money possible.

To avoid this, we have 6 essential tips to help you continue receiving adequate compensation for your losses.

1. Settle Your Claim at the Right Time
Before settling your claim, wait until you are released from your doctor’s care. Many people make the mistake of giving up on their treatments prematurely,but this can negatively affect your settlement outcome.

2. Don’t Skip Treatments
Forgoing necessary medical treatments while settling a claim is a mistake not only physically, but financially. Once your insurance adjusters finds out about forgone treatments, they will use this information against you. Of course, life happens, and sometimes you can’t make it to every appointment. However, if you have to miss a treatment, call your doctor’s office to reschedule, and ask them to add the reason for rescheduling to your file. In addition, jot this down in your planner, which will ensure you can easily answer why you missed an appointment if asked during a deposition or trial.

3. Complete All Prescribed Treatments
If your doctor prescribes treatments or exercises for you to perform at home, make sure you complete them. If this issue comes up during a deposition or interview, a claims adjuster (or jury, if it comes to that) will not be sympathetic towards your case if you tell them you did not follow through with the necessary treatments for your injuries.

4. Get a Doctor’s Note
Insurance claims will include compensation for missed work days, but only if a doctor has advised the time off. So before missing work for a long period of time, have your doctor or another medical professional write you a note for the missed days.

5. Always Ask for Reimbursement
You have the right to a reimbursement of mileage, lost wages, and lost benefits. To receive these benefits, document your mileage to and from the doctor’s office and therapy appointments. Similarly, if you require time off work, ask the human resources department or your supervisor for a document with the hours or days you missed. Many people forgo their entitlement to recoup lost wages because they use their sick leave. However, sick leave has a value attached to it. It represents what your wages would have been if you had worked. If it had not been for the accident, you would still have sick leave, and therefore it is a loss you can be reimbursed for ñ just make sure you verify the days with your human resources department.

6. Know When an Attorney is Necessary
There are cases that require legal representation, and those that don’t. With more complicated cases you should always hire an attorney. These include tractor trailer accidents, a serious pre-existing injury aggravation, accidents involving multiple vehicles, driver negligence (especially if hit by an intoxicated driver), any permanent injury, or when there is a fatality. On the other hand, cases where the injury is minor, the accident is low impact, or the driver has a reputable insurance carrier you are communicating with may not require an attorney. However, even with these cases, a little extra information goes a long way. Furthermore, there are borderline cases where it is up to you to make the judgment call on whether or not to hire legal representation. If you have an unresponsive insurance adjuster, there is serious injury like broken bones, or if you are not sure you are being treated fairly, it is time to start interviewing a few attorneys.

These six tips will help you make the most out of your personal injury claim in an ethical and honest way. Refer to this tips to remember what you are entitled by law to receive, and never be afraid to ask for reimbursements and compensation for you all your losses. If you are not being offered what you deserve, do not hesitate to hire an attorney.