Vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of death and injury in America. Simply put, driving a vehicle daily is very risky. It is estimated that more than 38,000 people die every year in crashes in the US and an additional 4.4 million people are injured enough to require serious medical attention. This is simply due to the fact that America was made for cars. Its supply chain, logistics planning and moving people around is based on a complex system of intercity highways and roadways. The accident stats are so stark in places like Texas, where public transit is not really developed, that it is said one person is killed every 2 hours in a car accident and one person is injured every two minutes, while vehicle crashes are reported every 59 seconds, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. These vehicle crashes can happen in a fraction of a second and can have a terrible effect on the quality of your life or your loved ones for the following years. Therefore it is important to know the proper ways that you can get compensated for your injuries.
What To Do At The Accident Scene
It is important that you gather as much information as possible at the scene of the accident, and follow up on the incident because it is the responsibility of the injured party to provide proper proof that the vehicle that caused the accident was due to negligence and resulted in injuries or damages to you. The professionals at https://seerden-law.com/ believe that this sort of information will help you be compensated for your medical bills, lost wages, damage repair and other out of pocket expenses. Therefore, it is important to first check for injuries and call 911 to tell them your location and if you are injured. After this, it is important to watch what you say and never admit fault because it can be used against you in court. Seeking medical attention right away or as soon as you discover that something is wrong is an important part of validating your claim. If your injuries are minor it is also important to get the ID, insurance information of the other driver and take proper photos of the accident scene and the damages caused.
Filing A Successful Compensation Claim
A claim can be started by notifying your insurance company immediately after your accident because your insurance has the duty to defend you against a lawsuit and pay for all your needs. Your insurance will then go after the driver to recoup these costs on your behalf. You should also notify the insurance company of the involved party. If you are severely injured it is important to hire a personal injury attorney so that they could deal with all the insurance companies on your behalf. The process usually goes onto a claims adjuster who will ask you a lot of questions. One must be careful not to reveal information that can be used against you. Finally, the most important thing is to organize your paperwork by recording your side of the story, requesting a copy of the police report, and have all copies of medical records and receipts, including any physiotherapists you may have visited to get back to normal. Keep receipts of medications bought, parking receipt, gas mileage to travel to medical facilities. Make detailed notes of all correspondence between yourself and insurance companies.
Dealing With The Insurance Company
Another important thing to note is to know the deadline for the statute of limitations for your state. You must file a lawsuit or settle the compensation claim against the insurance company before this deadline runs out. It is also important to write a professional letter demanding compensation. This letter should include copies of all your medical evaluations and expenses, copies of lost wages, receipts for out of pocket expenses, the police report, any witness report, photos from the scene along with your story of how the events happened. If the other driver is truly negligent, then the insurance company will most likely want to settle your claim before it goes to court, so you must remain calm during negotiations and have patience but be persistent. Finally, it is important to know your rights and that you can hire an attorney to help you with your claim no matter how far along you are in the process. Insurance adjusters are never your friend and know how to play the game by lowering your settlement significantly hoping that you do not have the legal knowledge and energy to fight anymore, hence this is where a professional can come to your aid.
In summary, it is important to know your rights before you start filing for a proper compensation claim. Talking with a personal attorney before can be a tremendous help in achieving a maximum settlement. However, you can also decide to go at it alone by doing the proper research and gathering all your evidence against the other driver.
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