What To Do After A Car Accident

As most people will agree, filing an insurance claim is a complex and stressful process. We are initially left with the car that often needs an expensive tow, and then left to worry about the many details which must pull together. If you play your cards right; you can speed up the claim process and minimize stress. car accident lawyers

DO

Immediately inform local law enforcement at the scene of the accident. Failing to do so is not only illegal, but if the other party decides to file a claim, you’ll have less of a case.

Contact your insurance agent as soon as possible. The sooner you get the ball rolling, the sooner the process can be concluded. In addition, swift and accurate reporting benefits you.

Contact your agent to let them know what happened, even if you don’t make a claim. If someone else makes a claim on your policy, the insurance company will be less surprised, and may be more lenient in the future.

Use specific, factual information when speaking to law enforcement and your insurance agent.

Fully understand your insurance policy. Take a good look at it before talking to your insurer.

Maintain a careful record of conversations you have pertaining to the accident. This includes what the other party says, the police officer, and anyone at your insurance company.

Photograph any damage or injury that occurred as a result of the accident. This will serve as evidence to support your claim.

Do your estimate research. Your company is likely to offer a settlement based on their own contractors. However, the actual repair expense may be much more, in which case, you should negotiate the settlement.

Follow any guidelines set forth by your policy. This includes time limits on claims and required actions to take. Failing to adhere could result in the loss of the claim.

Ensure that your insurer is holding up their end of the deal. You have both signed a legally binding agreement, and if you feel they are in breach of contract, consult a lawyer.
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DON’T

Allocate blame or express opinions regarding the accident. If you claim fault prior to investigation, you will likely lose the claim. Even if fault seems obvious, there may be more factors at work, of which you are unaware. Leave opinions to the investigating officer and the insurance adjuster.

Leave without collecting insurance, automobile (or property), and contact information from the other party. If both parties have a complete set of facts, the process can proceed much more smoothly.

Make insurance claims on a regular basis. If you make too many claims in too short a time, you’ll be categorized as high risk. This can result in higher premiums or even a loss of your policy. Only make claims that are absolutely necessary.

File a claim if the damage is under your deductible. This will help decrease claim frequency.

Accept any payment, sign any legal documentation until you are fully prepared to do so. This means fully understanding the terms of the agreement. When in doubt, consult a legal professional.

Accept inferior service from the insurance company. It’s their job to insure you.

TO CONCLUDE

By being factually accurate, diligent in your record-keeping, and uncompromising with poor service, you can help achieve the settlement you desire. When making a car insurance claim, maximizing your knowledge is critical to your success.

Any incident involving your car usually involves frustration, although your insurer can often offset much of the initial cost. By following the above outlined recipe you can often save yourself on unnecessary expenses on your car insurance . More on this website

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Accidents Can Happen At Any Given Time – Do You Know What to Do?

Accidents Can Happen At Any Given Time – Do You Know What to Do?

Accidents can happen at any given time. If you or a loved one were seriously injured in an accident you may want to file an insurance claim and get compensated for damages for injuries you have suffered. Surprisingly, negotiating a claim with an insurance company can be quite challenging without an accident attorney to assist you.personal Injury lawyers

Two Ways to Negotiate a Claim

Insurance claims can be negotiated in two ways. Either you can choose to represent yourself or you can have your case negotiated by an accident attorney. The disadvantage of negotiating without the assistance of an accident attorney is that, in most cases, the claim is settled for a smaller amount. If you negotiate with the insurance company on your own you might not have proper knowledge to battle the tactics and tricks an insurance company could use against you. As a result of this you might end up settling for a low offer. More Info Here

An Experienced and Skilled Accident Attorney Will Negotiate on Your Behalf

This is why you will benefit if an experienced and skilled accident attorney is presenting your case and is negotiating a claim with the insurance company on your behalf. Your attorney will also make sure you receive a fair amount based on the medical bills, injuries, pain and suffering that you’ve had to endure, as well as for wage loss and out of pocket expenses.

Would You Like Maximum Compensation?

If you want to receive a maximum settlement amount, then your accident attorney will advise you to start by obtaining your medical bills and records. You can either collect all your medical bills and records yourself or you can authorize your attorney to collect them for you, which is obviously much easier. If you are represented by an accident attorney at the right time, then your attorney will be there with you until your treatment is complete, to obtain your medical bills and records.

An Accident Attorney Will Obtain the Necessary Records and Bills for You

Before you can begin negotiating a claim with the insurance company you will also have to acquire a copy of the police report, witness statements and your wage loss information. You will also have to acquire copies of your car repair bills, estimates and receipts of damages incurred and a few good photographs of your wrecked car. Once again, your car accident attorney will be able to help you with all of this and make things easier for you.

Accomplishing all of this is not an easy task, especially after an accident, when you are injured, and you are trying to get better. This is why hiring an accident lawyer to represent you will be beneficial for you in many ways. If an experienced car accident attorney is handling your case, then your insurance company is more likely to offer you a higher settlement amount. If your claim can not reach settlement, your attorney will prepare your case for litigation. Thus, you will still manage to save quite a lot even after paying your attorney’s costs and fees.

I Didn’t Know I Could Hurt My Accident Case

Negotiating your claim on your own could possibly weaken your case and make it difficult for an attorney to persuade the insurance company to pay a higher settlement amount. The best thing you can do is hire an accident attorney right after any car accident, rather than hiring one after receiving a bad offer from the insurance company. If you decide to hire a car accident attorney after receiving a meager offer from the insurance company, it may be too late for any attorney to make a difference.accident law

If Insurance Company Will Not Offer Enough Money Your Accident Attorney Files Suit

For professional accident attorneys, filing a lawsuit and facing litigation is generally only an option if the insurance adjusters and insurance companies that are just not willing to offer a reasonable settlement. For any experienced and skilled accident attorney, filing a lawsuit in court and facing litigation is easy however.

It is thus apparent that having an accident or personal injury attorney is important for any injured victim. So, if you ever do get into an accident in the make sure the first thing you do is get in touch with an experienced and skilled accident attorney.

Free Additional Information on Negotiating Your Settlement

If you have a case you would like to discuss, please feel free to call our office. There is no charge to talk about your case or to answer your questions about your case.

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