The point of filing a compensation claim after a car accident is to get your insurance company or the liable party to pay for your medical bills, car repairs, lost income, and other losses suffered due to the accident. However, not all car accidents claims are settled. This article will discuss some of the things you need to do as a victim in a car accident to ensure you get what you deserve in the insurance settlement.
Most people know the importance of seeking legal counsel after an accident but then don’t involve one in their case until it’s too late. Your car accident attorney will guide you on evidence gathering and protect you from potentially ruining your case. They will also contact the insurance company on your behalf and even help you seek medical attention and vehicle towing services.
Photos and videos taken at the accident scene are paramount when arguing your case against insurance adjusters and in front of a judge. Unless you need immediate medical attention, make a point of collecting your evidence yourself. Take as many pictures as possible before any of the involved vehicles move. You should also gather the contact information of eyewitnesses and the other drivers before leaving the scene.
Fault determination is traditionally based on the police’s report of the accident. Take it upon yourself to inform the authorities about the crash if none of the other parties is willing to. The police will help you determine if you have a case from the onset and provide your strongest evidence if there are any disagreements with the insurance company. Consider getting a copy of the police report and providing it to your lawyer together with the images and videos of the accident scene.
Seeking medical treatment is crucial for your recovery and your claim. Doing so will make it easier to connect your injuries to the accident and include them in the settlement calculations. If you take too long to seek treatment, the insurance company may argue that the injuries were not as bad as you try to make them look. The adjusters could also reject your claim on the premise that there is no connection between the accident and your injuries. Remember, the at-fault party’s insurance company is not your friend and will look for any reason to lower your compensation or throw the claim out the window.
If you are injured in a car accident, you have the right to sue the party you deem at fault for the accident. However, many cases are settled out of court, with only a small percentage going to litigation.
Insurance companies will always look to protect their profits by diminishing the value of settlements. As a victim, you’re entirely within your rights to decline to discuss your case with the insurance company. Following a serious accident, you’d be wise to let an attorney handle all the communication between you and your insurance company.
It is understandable to want to move on as quickly as possible after an accident. Insurance companies take this for desperation and will likely make a swift settlement offer to reduce their liability to you before it dawns on you how much the accident has set you back.
Following a doctor’s orders is easy, but there are many personal injury victims who fail to do so. Not abiding by your doctor’s recommendations may delay your recovery and negatively impact your claim. The doctor’s records are available to your insurance adjuster, and they may use your failure to follow your doctor’s advice to lower or deny you your personal injury settlement.
When dealing with a personal injury claim, it’s crucial to stay off social media sites. Don’t post photos or discuss your case on social media. Your insurer and their lawyers may use this to argue that you’ve recovered, or your injuries were not as serious as you claimed.
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Getting the maximum possible settlement in a personal injury case is largely dependent on your actions. The process might be longer than you expected, but you should be patient enough to build a strong case. The above tips should help you negotiate a better settlement and ensure you get on with your life swiftly.
