Car Accident Injury Claims
How do I get compensation for my injury for treatment, lost income and suffering?
Your car accident claim may be based on two forms of compensation:
a) Your insurance will compensate may compensate you for your injury. Some states have a no-fault policy where your insurance company covers the cost of the injuries. Check your insurance policy or have an attorney evaluate your policy to determine what your coverage is and the relevant laws in your state.
b) Find a negligent party. If someone's driving error or negligence is responsible for your accident, your attorney may file a claim for compensation with the driver's insurance company. A passenger in a car may have a claim against the driver of the car (even if it is a family member).
Steps to Filing a Car Accident Injury Claim (what an Attorney will do)
- Review police reports and other records of the accident.
- Gather medical records of injuries from your medical doctors for damages & treatment compensation.
- Gather financial records showing the car accident victim's lost income and damages.
- Negotiate with insurance companies. Typically most claims are resolved by negotiations between your attorney and the attorney of the negligent driver's insurance company. The attorneys will use similar cases with similar injuries and losses as the basis of fair compensation for your injuries.
Should I get legal help?
Under most circumstances, you should consider finding an attorney if the damages are severe or you have lost over $2,000 in lost income, treatments or pain and suffering. The accident or the diagnosis of your injury should have occured within the last three years (this is called a statute of limitations). A victim's right to compensation may expire after a few years depending on your state's laws. Your amount of time to file a case varies from state to state. In general, you should try to contact an attorney as soon as possible after an accident.
1) Consider consulting an attorney before signing an agreement with the insurance company.
2) Find an attorney with a great deal of experience with car accident cases. Experienced car accident attorneys will know how to deal with insurance companies.
3) Some attorneys will work for no money up front and will only take only a portion of the final settlement. This allows the car accident victim to get top-quality legal help and it provides an incentive for the attorney to get the best possible settlement.
4) You may get a case evaluation and find help through submitting through this site. Help available nationwide.
