Protecting Personal Information When Filing A Monterey Personal Injury Lawsuit
When personal injuries in Monterey happen, they can impact your life for long months after. You may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs you incur either through insurance or a personal injury lawsuit. Our Monterey personal injury attorney explains some of the information you will need to disclose during the process and how we can help protect your privacy.
Personal Information Relevant To Your Personal Injury Case
When car crashes, slips and falls, or other types of accidents happen, it is often due to negligence on the part of one of the people involved. If you are the victim, you have the right to hold the at-fault party accountable for your losses. You may be entitled to compensation either through insurance policies they have in place or by filing a lawsuit through the Monterey County Civil Court.
In determining the amount you are owed, you will need to submit a variety of different types of personal information. This includes:
- Your medical history, as it pertains to your accident and your personal injuries;
- Your wage and employment records, for the purpose of obtaining compensation for current and future losses in income;
- Information about your home, relationships, hobbies, and social life, which may all have been impacted as a result of your injuries;
- Your driving history, any criminal records, information about addictions or mental health issues, and prior lawsuits, which the opposing party may use to try and deny or dispute your claim.
Preventing Personal Information From Being Made Public
Under the U.S. Code, the Privacy Act of 1974 places strict limits on how personal information about individuals is collected, stored, and disseminated. At the same time, there are a variety of ways sensitive information you submit as part of a personal injury claim or lawsuit can be made public. For example:
- Hackers routinely target insurance companies and other businesses, for the purpose of committing identity theft and other types of fraud;
- Under California Court Rules, matters dealt with in legal proceedings are part of the public record, meaning others can access information about your case and how it was resolved;
- Copies of personal information submitted in a claim or lawsuit must be kept for at least six months after, leaving it vulnerable to disclosure;
- In high-profile cases, personal information may be leaked by the opposing party, insurance or court employees, and others involved.
As experienced Monterey personal injury attorneys, one way we can help prevent personal information from being made public is by fighting for an out-of-court settlement. We can also thoroughly review all document requests, refuse to submit anything not relevant to your case, screen those who have access to information, manage the press, and ensure items are redacted to protect your family, friends, or other innocent parties.
Contact Our Monterey Personal Injury Attorneys Today
At the Allen Law Firm, we fight to get you the maximum amount of compensation while taking the steps needed to protect your privacy. To request a consultation, call or contact our Monterey personal injury lawyer online today.
