How to Improve Your Chances of Winning Your Personal Injury Case
Being involved in a car accident can be very painful and equally stressful. Hospital visits, doctor appointments, rehabilitation, and dealing with stubborn insurance companies can be overwhelming when you are already dealing with injuries.
Insurance companies are not always in the business of protecting their clients and more often seem like they are only interested in paying out the least amount of money possible. Trying to negotiate with these huge corporations can leave you feeling helpless.
From gathering sufficient evidence to support your claim to hiring experienced car accident lawyers to help you through the process, there are a few things that you can do to help your cause.
Gather evidence
It’s important to stay as calm as possible at the scene of your accident so that you are able to do what needs to be done. Protecting your future interests should be a priority. Record everything that you can about the accident while it is fresh in your mind. Talk to every person involved including all drivers, passengers and even witnesses. Exchange all important insurance and contact information so that you have it in your own records and ask for written statements from all witnesses. Take pictures with your smartphone as soon as you can. Recording all angles of your accident can help you to visually make your case later on. Don’t forget to ask the police for a copy of the incident report so that you can add it to your file.
See your doctor
If there is any emergency medical personnel at the site of your accident, it is in your best interest to let them check you out even if you feel fine. Not all injuries are obvious right away, so if you do have any pain or discomfort you should see your own doctor as soon as possible. They can help you determine causation and set up a proper treatment plan for you.
It is extremely important to follow all of your doctor’s orders, keep all your appointments and make sure that you have access to all of your medical records. This information will be vital evidence in regards to you in both proving the severity of injuries and in seeking compensation to cover all of those expenses.
Keep all records
Getting organized right from the start can help save you unnecessary headaches later on. Keep all of your records from the scene of the accident, medical records, prescription information and insurance correspondence all in one place so that you have it on hand when you need it. Trying to gather up evidence and records afterwards can be a pain and extend the period before you can agree on a settlement with your insurance company.
Don’t be intimidated
Insurance companies are only interested in paying out the least amount of compensation possible. They have been known to drown accident victims in complicated paperwork in the hopes that they will give up on their claim. Intimidation methods are also common, so don’t let them scare you away from what is rightfully yours. Do not let them threaten or intimidate you into agreeing to anything, admitting anything, or signing anything. If they try to contact you directly, you should refer all of their communications to your lawyer and hang up on them.
Hire an attorney
Dealing with insurance companies can be overwhelming for most people. If you aren’t sure how to best handle your personal injury case, you should bring in a professional. Personal injury attorneys deal with accident victims and insurance companies on a daily basis and know how to work the system. You are twice as likely to get a larger settlement from your insurance provider if you bring an attorney to help you handle your case.
This is a collaborative article.
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.