Need Advice With Legal Car Q

Location: San Francisco

hello there!

I am 34M from San fran. Last year I was in a car accident, and it wasn’t until months later that I really understood how many small, completely ordinary decisions ended up shaping the outcome of my injury claim. At the time, nothing felt urgent or dramatic. I felt mostly fine, told myself it was probably nothing serious, gave a recorded statement because it seemed like the normal thing to do, posted a couple of everyday photos on Instagram, and almost accepted the first settlement offer just to put everything behind me. I wasn’t trying to exaggerate or work the system. I was tired and just wanted the stress to stop. What surprised me later was learning how structured and intentional the insurance process actually is. Early settlement offers that feel reasonable when you’re exhausted. “Independent” medical exams that don’t feel as neutral once you understand who’s paying for them. Delays that slowly wear you down until settling feels like relief rather than a real decision. Looking back, none of my choices felt careless in the moment. They felt cooperative and responsible. It’s only in hindsight that you realize how early assumptions about fault, injury severity, or fairness quietly lock the whole process into place. For anyone who’s been through this, or works around injury cases: What are the biggest mistakes people tend to make before they even realize they have a “case”? Does this play out differently in California compared to places like Georgia or Atlanta? And how do you know when it’s time to slow down and get help, instead of trying to handle everything alone and hoping it works out?