Have you been engaged in a car accident lately because of someone else’s negligence? If so, then you can file a claim for all the injuries and damages you’ve sustained. This is called a personal injury claim.
Personal injury compensation usually proceeds after a settlement between the party at fault and the victim through their insurance company or a lawsuit. But it won’t be an easy battle, especially if there’s an insurance company involved on the party at-fault.
The insurance company will try everything to avoid compensation in a car accident case. They’ll try to make you sign questionable papers and will put the blame on you. But whatever it is, don’t sign on to anything and don’t be afraid of them. To prevent this from happening, you’ll be needing help from a law professional.
According to chrisandfrank.com, your lawyer will protect you from such situations and do anything to get you rightfully compensated. If you need help, you may contact personal injury lawyers. Furthermore, here are what you need to do to receive a fair claim:
1. Get A Medical Treatment Immediately
If you have injuries after a car collision, you need to seek immediate medical care. There are instances where you feel fine after a crash, but still, you need to get treated and examined to check if you have internal injuries that’d show up later. Failure to seek immediate medical attention may affect the result of your claims.
After you get treated, make sure to have a copy of treatment records, doctor’s notes, bills, and diagnosis. These documents can provide difficult-to-refute evidence of your injuries and condition as well as a strong foundation for your claims. Among these details, the most crucial evidence is the doctor’s notes.
Since doctors are considered expert witnesses, any word from them would conclude your case negatively or positively. So, make sure your doctors are on your side by following their orders and restrictions as much as possible. If your doctor tells you not to do something, don’t do it, unless you want to blow up your claims. Don’t give the party at fault reasons to falsify or lower your settlement.
2. Call The Authorities
Using your phone or any working device, call 911 and ask for police support. The dispatcher will ask you several questions and make sure you answer them with pure facts. After the call, a team of police will be dispatched immediately to the site of the accident.
Once the police arrive, they’ll ask you a series of questions and make sure to give them a detailed answer, including the scene prior to and after the crash. The same goes with the party at fault. All details will be recorded in the police report, so make sure to get a copy of it. However, police reports aren’t considered evidence in court, but they’re still viable to help your lawyer investigate the accident and strengthen your claims.
There are instances when the party at fault will try to do anything to avoid calling the police. As much as possible, never fall prey to this dirty strategy. They want to avoid calling cops to avoid giving out compensations and insurance claims. So, whatever the cause of the accident, it’s crucial to call the authorities immediately.
3. Document The Entire Scene
Treating your injuries should be your top priority. However, if you think you can still move properly and risk a little amount of time before getting medical care, then you should document the accident scene.
Using your smartphone’s camera or any working device, capture a photo or video of the entire scene, including all the damages from both vehicles. Take a picture of the position of your car, the color of the other vehicle, plate number, and any details present in the scene. This is to ensure that all details will be preserved and strengthen your claims.
4. Check If There Are Witnesses To The Accident
Witnesses are essential in receiving proper compensation. Since they’re eyewitnesses and non-bias to any party involved, their statement deals with a weight that’d conclude the case.
If you found anyone around the scene, ask for their name and contact details and give them to your legal team. Ask them if they’re willing to provide written or recorded verbal statements. Remember, more crucial information means a more substantial basis for your claims.
Also, it’d be better to ask them if they can stand in court to be your witness. If they agree, it’d significantly increase your chances of winning the settlement.
5. Estimate The Property Damages
After you’ve done the necessary steps above, you may now start collecting estimates for every damage done to your car. However, insurance companies will try to evaluate the estimate independently. To counter this, you need to have at least two or three estimates from different sources to strengthen your claims and prove your arguments.
6. Call A Personal Injury Lawyer
As much as possible, call someone with legal expertise on car accidents to help you get your claims. The legal world is full of complex systems that’d be difficult for someone not in the legal profession to understand. Your lawyer will do anything to prove your claims as long as you’re willing to cooperate.
Cooperating with your legal team means being transparent to them. Never try to hide any pieces of evidence that’d help you reach your settlement. Even if you’re partly at fault, you still need to talk to your legal team. If you’re responsible for the accident, you may still receive a claim under accident notification and personal injury claims. However, expect that the amount you’ll receive will be less than the amount if you’re entirely not at fault.
Final Words
If you think someone has injured you through a car collision, you have the right to proper and fair compensation. Filing for a claim won’t be an easy task, so you need someone who knows the legal system to ensure your settlement. However, for this to work, your lawyer will demand your full cooperation by being completely transparent and providing all the necessary details they need.
Also, never make an excuse not to receive medical treatment. Medical care is essential if you want to make the most out of your claims, so seek immediate medical treatment after an accident.
