When you are involved in a car accident, you may start wondering when you will get compensated for your injuries or other damages. The wait can be particularly excruciating if you have medical bills piling up and are no longer able to work. All the inconveniences caused by your car accident can lead you to start considering whether settling out of court is a good idea. Because the answer to this question is quite complicated, we are going to look at what you can do to not only settle faster but to be adequately compensated in the process.
Document Everything
When suing for compensation, your most important asset is documentation. This documentation should entail details about the accident, the other driver’s insurance information, witness statements, medical records, and any other documents relevant to the case. You should also include a police report as it is the best proof that the accident did happen and who is at fault for the accident. Do not forget to include photographs and videos of the accident scene as well as those of your injuries.
Initiate the Claims Process
Once you have everything ready, you should initiate the claim through the driver’s insurance provider. If the driver does not have insurance, you might need to go through your insurance provider.
The insurance company should send you a letter informing you that they have received the claim. At this point, they may not have accepted the truthfulness of the claim but just acknowledged it.
Be Prepared for Negotiations
Once the insurance company begins negotiations, they might make an offer if they would not like to go to court. This happens in cases where there is overwhelming and irrefutable evidence of their client’s liability.
Be prepared for the insurance company or their adjuster to quote an amount far lower than what you expect. This is all part of negotiations and you can always make a counteroffer.
Hire a Lawyer
In cases where you receive a very low offer from the insurance company, it is always a good idea to provide a counter offer. This counter outlines the amount you want to be compensated with, as well as the reason why you are rejecting the offer put forth by the insurance company.
The best way to know how much to ask for is to seek the services of a lawyer who focuses on the automobile accident lawsuit as a main part of his operations. The lawyer will start by assessing the damage inflicted and come up with the appropriate compensation for that. Then they will walk you through other types of damage such as pain and suffering that may not be quantifiable. Your attorney will then help you craft a counteroffer, adding all these details to the counteroffer so the insurance company understands not only the compensations you are seeking, but why you are seeking such an amount.
Once you decide to file an insurance claim after a car accident, you need to be thorough and patient. Collect all relevant documents and do not let the insurance company pressure you into a low settlement. Having irrefutable evidence and an experienced lawyer on your side will both help the process go much quicker.