Usually when individuals are a victim of a car accident that wasn’t their fault, the anger and feeling of injustice inside them pushes them to claim for damages in a court. Even if their approach is not backed by anger, it is their every right to file for compensation in court, and get what’s rightfully theirs in exchange for the physical and mental trauma that they had to endure. Listed below are a few things individuals should be aware of before they decide on what route to take for their car accident claim:
1. An initial settlement When individuals find themselves in a car accident, more than often, both parties are covered by insurance. Before the suffering individual even thinks about filing for compensation in court, they are presented by the insurance provider an offer to settle – this has its pros and cons.
The pros of this situation obviously are that none of the parties would have to be stuck in court proceedings and waste a ton of money, time and effort. Another advantage of this situation is that with a court case you would be stuck in the legal system for months and years to come before you arrive at a settlement.
The cons of this situation would be that you receive much less compensation that you would get if you had filed in court instead. 2. Hiring an accident lawyer When individuals are faced with such a situation, they often get confused about what route to take: some may suggest them to be practical and accept the settlement, while others may suggest them to pursue the case in court, fight for a few years, and get much more in return.
Hence, individuals who find themselves in a car accident should consult a car accident lawyer, who would be able to guide them in a much better way and fashion. 3. Keep Records In order to file a full rounded claim, you should make an account of all your related expenses such as medical bills, doctor’s reports, employment leaves, estimates of damage to your property etc. By doing so, you would be able to back up your compensation claim with facts. If you have faced mental trauma and emotional distress due to the accident, you should mention that in your report too. 4. Know what’s fair and what’s not If the other party is too pressing on you accepting their settlement offer, you should know that something is wrong. They are probably trying to hide the bigger picture and save themselves from a bigger loss. Also, if you feel that the settlement offer is too low and unfair, you should absolutely consider rejecting it in the first place.
Additionally, if you feel that there is a misunderstanding between you and the other party, and if they are wrongfully stating that the accident was a bit of your fault too while settling, if it deems offensive to you, you should consider rejecting the settlement offer.
Filing for or settling for a car accident injury claim can be a stressful situation on its own. You should follow the above tips and clear your mind from any distractions before arriving at a decision.
1. An initial settlement When individuals find themselves in a car accident, more than often, both parties are covered by insurance. Before the suffering individual even thinks about filing for compensation in court, they are presented by the insurance provider an offer to settle – this has its pros and cons.
The pros of this situation obviously are that none of the parties would have to be stuck in court proceedings and waste a ton of money, time and effort. Another advantage of this situation is that with a court case you would be stuck in the legal system for months and years to come before you arrive at a settlement.
The cons of this situation would be that you receive much less compensation that you would get if you had filed in court instead. 2. Hiring an accident lawyer When individuals are faced with such a situation, they often get confused about what route to take: some may suggest them to be practical and accept the settlement, while others may suggest them to pursue the case in court, fight for a few years, and get much more in return.
Hence, individuals who find themselves in a car accident should consult a car accident lawyer, who would be able to guide them in a much better way and fashion. 3. Keep Records In order to file a full rounded claim, you should make an account of all your related expenses such as medical bills, doctor’s reports, employment leaves, estimates of damage to your property etc. By doing so, you would be able to back up your compensation claim with facts. If you have faced mental trauma and emotional distress due to the accident, you should mention that in your report too. 4. Know what’s fair and what’s not If the other party is too pressing on you accepting their settlement offer, you should know that something is wrong. They are probably trying to hide the bigger picture and save themselves from a bigger loss. Also, if you feel that the settlement offer is too low and unfair, you should absolutely consider rejecting it in the first place.
Additionally, if you feel that there is a misunderstanding between you and the other party, and if they are wrongfully stating that the accident was a bit of your fault too while settling, if it deems offensive to you, you should consider rejecting the settlement offer.
Filing for or settling for a car accident injury claim can be a stressful situation on its own. You should follow the above tips and clear your mind from any distractions before arriving at a decision.