Car Accident Injury Claim
Being in a car accident is always a traumatic experience. Taking the necessary steps after an accident is vital to getting on the road again.
In order to make a claim, you need to gather the correct details about the accident that took place. Remember to always move your car to a location away from traffic in order to avoid further collisions. Call 911 immediately if you or someone else involved in the car is hurt. Calling the police regardless of injuries is a good idea. The police will need to make a report and ensure both parties exchange insurance information before leaving the scene of the accident.
Your insurance company will ask you everything they need to know in order to begin a claim. It is best to document all details of the accident including taking pictures of the accident scene which can be used as evidence. To make things go even smoother, do not place the blame on the other driver at the scene of the crash. The insurance companies will determine who is at fault. You should also not accept or deny blame at the accident scene. Taking pictures of the damage to your car and the other driver’s car is essential. Take pictures of the driver’s license plate for documentation as your insurance company will likely need that at some point.
You cannot leave the scene of the accident without exchanging insurance information as this is part of the process for resolving the matter. If you feel comfortable you can share your name and phone number with the other driver and get a picture of their driver’s license.
Gather the make and model of the other drivers’ car. Document the street and city where the accident happened. Record your speed at the time of the crash including the date and time. Another helpful piece of information for the insurance company will be the weather conditions. Was it rain, snowing, windy and was it clear sky and sunny or cloudy and dark? Record the name of the officer who made the report at the scene. If there are any witnesses gather their contact information for use later on.
When dealing with the insurance company do not agree or accept the first initial offer they give you. This is where you need to speak to an attorney before moving forward as an attorneys advice is the only avenue for making a smart decision. Insurance companies know that drivers are desperate to settle and they will attempt to take advantage of you if you move too quickly. Insurance companies are in it for profit obviously and because of that, if you move too quickly they will go as far as denying any compensation at all.
Since insurance companies have leverage to begin with, they may offer a very low settlement that does not cover the damages. We will guide you through the process and inform you on the best route to get the highest settlement possible without allowing the insurance company to walk all over you. Honest trustworthy advice is the best thing you can have during the settlement process and insurance companies understand personal injury lawyers are their only obstacle to getting the outcome that they want and that is best for the insurance company.