Founding Attorney
If you have been injured in an auto accident, there are a few things you should do as soon as possible. You should contact the police and make sure an official report of the accident is filed. You should seek medical treatment for your injuries and receive proper follow-up care. You should file an insurance claim or insurance claims to help ensure that you are properly compensated for the losses you sustained in the accident.
How to File an Insurance Claim After an Accident
After an accident, the reality of the financial toll being injured in such a situation can quickly and harshly set in. You may have had to take time off from work, missing out on wages. You may have had to quit your job all together if your injuries limited your ability to perform your essential job duties. On top of all of this, you may have medical bills quickly piling up as you get the medical treatment essential to your recovery. Filing an insurance claim is your first step to getting the compensation you need to get back on your feet.
There are two types of insurance claims you may file after being injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence. There is a first party claim which is what you file with your own insurance carrier. There is also a third party claim you can file with the insurance carrier of the at fault party. The type of claim or claims you file after an accident will largely depend on the available insurance coverage and the circumstances surrounding the accident.
In any event, you will want to report the accident and file a claim with the insurance company as soon as possible. You may even be contractually obligated to report the accident to your own insurance company within a specific time frame. The insurance company will need at least some of the basic information regarding the accident, where it happened, how it happened, if you were injured, the nature and extent of any injuries, and the nature and extent of any property damage. Answer these questions as clearly and concisely as possible. Avoid speculation or guessing at the answer. If you do not know the full extent of your injuries or the treatment you will need, say so. “I don’t know” or “I’m not sure” are perfectly acceptable answers and are better than guessing or speculating.
Upon filing your claim, the insurance company will begin an investigation into the claim itself. This is when the insurance company will do a deeper dive into the accident details and you may be asked for more information or even to provide a recorded statement or a statement under oath. Upon conclusion of the investigation, a few different things may happen. The insurance company may deny your claim or they may make a settlement offer. You may find the settlement offer acceptable or you may find that it would not properly compensate you for your losses. Oftentimes, a claimant will find a settlement offer, especially an initial settlement offer, to be patently unfair and far below providing adequate compensation for losses sustained in the accident.
Personal Injury Attorney
If you try to deal with the insurance companies on your own after an accident, you may quickly find that they aren’t on your side. They can make things very difficult for a claimant and fight hard to avoid paying out what you deserve. Let trusted personal injury attorney Michael LoGiudice help get you properly compensated for your losses. Contact us today.