If you’ve been in an accident, you must have your insurance policy card on hand. A copy of your insurance policy should be in your vehicle all the time. After an accident occurs be sure to record the name of all other car owners that were involved in the crash.
For every one of these parties, it is best to record what type of car or truck they were driving, the car’s model year, the appearance of the car, the amount of other people in the vehicle, the amount of damage to the automobile and the location where the accident occurred. Above all, it’s important to record the insurance policy organization and their insurance plan number. Also, be sure to get ahold of their license plate number for identification reasons. It is very important to supply as much of this information as possible to your insurance provider to assist you as you report your claim.
All income you cannot earn due to the crash should also be noted in the claim. For this to be claimed, your doctor should have you take time of work by stating that the traumas from your accident are not allowing you to complete your work. If you are injured because of car accident, you are able to recover lost wages, but if you don’t have a doctor certificate or note this can be extremely hard, or even impossible.
If you decide to make a claim, it will be necessary to find a good Personal Injury Lawyer in the event you run into problems making your claim.
Proof of a claim is vital; therefore, you will need to gather as much evidence as possible. Even minor injuries can have complications. Therefore, seek medical attention immediately no matter how small the injuries are. Have as many photos of the injuries taken as possible and note the name of the medical practitioner that attended to you.
Make careful notes about the circumstances surrounding the accident, such as:
- Date
- Time
- Location
- Witnesses*
- Weather Conditions
- Hazard Signs (present or not)
- All expenses Incurred
- Lost Income
* Witnesses can make or break a personal injury claim, so you must try to find as many as possible. Get a full detailed statement in writing, together with their name and address — this will be needed for your insurance company. Make a second copy of these statements for your personal reference.
If there is any tangible evidence such as a broken heel on your shoe or ripped clothing, do not discard them, as this tangible evidence can greatly back up your injury claim.
Keep a diary following the accident and enter any follow-on complications, such as increased pain, insomnia, muscle spasms or any other complications directly linked to the accident.
Your lawyer will best advise you on the amount of damages you will be able to claim, an approximate figure would be, all expenses incurred, lost wages, medical expenses, damage to your property (i.e. car, clothing etc.). Multiplying this figure by 4 gives an approximate settlement figure, though it must be said here EVERY case will differ.
Claims can take many months, sometimes even years before settlement is reached, so you must be patient. Pressuring your lawyer will not speed things along, but do maintain regular contact with your lawyer for updates. Just a further note, it’s not uncommon for insurance companies to employ investigators to follow you and assess your injuries as they don’t want to pay out on such claims and will be checking to ensure that the injuries you have reported are in fact genuine.
If you plan to report an auto accident, you have to do it straight away. You only have 36 months following your accident to submit an insurance claim to really become a candidate for a compensation payout. Exceptions to this particular guideline include factors like young people under eighteen years of age. Those under 18 are able to report an insurance claim after reaching the legal age of eighteen. For most people, you have this 3-year period, however the sooner you file your claim, the better.
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