If you want to shorten the amount of time you spend on a personal injury claim it is best to hire an attorney to work through all the details for you so you can be sure the claim is settled fairly. Contacting your auto insurance company immediately after you are in an accident without the advice from an attorney can affect your compensation.
Some Important Factors That Your Insurance Adjuster Will Review Include:
- The information from the police report.
Tip: Make sure you make a police report immediately after the accident occurs. - If and how long it took for you to seek medical attention.
Tip: Visit the emergency room or your physician as soon as possible after an accident if you are injured. - All pre-existing injuries that you listed as being a result of the accident.
Tip: Be sure to have your physician take new x-rays of the injuries you’ve listed as a result of the accident so these can be compared to the pre-existing injuries. - Any DUI/DWI charges or citations related to the accident.
- Statements that you make to other drivers or passengers after the accident.
Tip: Avoid making promises or statements of blame and keep any comment you make factual about what happened during the accident. - All witness testimonials.
- Photographs that were taken during the scene of the accident.
- Valid copies of paychecks and other documents that validate any wages you lost due to the accident.
- Details regarding the limitations of your insurance policy.
The Importance Of Collecting Evidence For a Personal Injury Case
Solid evidence of the accident makes your case for a personal injury claim stronger. You want to prepare as much documentation as possible when preparing to submit a claim to the car insurance company. You can gather evidence in the days after a car accident.
Some helpful tips that are sure to help you prepare enough evidence to support your personal injury claims.
- Witness statements and contact information. If there were any witnesses, be sure to collect any information witnessed at the time of the accident. If you can contact them as soon as possible and get them to write down what they observed down on paper that would work in your favor as well.
- Record your injuries by taking photos, getting medical attention, and collecting all medical evidence of your injuries.
- Take notes of the accident as soon as you are physically able to, preferably right after the accident.
- At the scene of the accident, make sure to take pictures of damages, tire markings on the pavement, and anything else that would be useful to use as evidence of your claim. You may notice something, such as a faded or missing traffic sign that led you to make a driving mistake, or if you were injured, make sure to take pictures of where you were injured, if possible.
- Keep physical evidence if it contributed to the accident. Examples include torn pieces of clothing, rocks or debris that made you swerve out of the way, etc.
Work With A Personal Injury Lawyer To Maximize Your Claim
As mentioned previously, contacting your car insurance company without the advice of a car accident attorney can affect your compensation. If you or a loved one have experienced an injury speak with an experienced personal injury attorney at Dennis and King today.
