You were just involved in a vehicle accident that was deemed the other driver’s fault. What should you do next? Should you contact your insurance or the other driver’s insurance provider? Should you call your attorney first?
There are many questions that car accident victims have afterward. With so many questions running through your brain, it can be hard to decide which one to address first. We are going to guide you through the after-accident process below so you can set yourself up for getting the best settlement possible for your case.
Consulting Your Attorney Is Always A Great First Step
After the accident is over, you have the other driver’s insurance information, and you’ve sought medical treatment for your injuries, it’s best to contact your personal injury lawyer. Whenever you are dealing with a potential lawsuit, you should get your lawyer involved as soon as possible. personal injury attorneys will be able to direct you with the right steps to protect the validity of your case as much as possible.
Notify Your Insurance Company
It’s best to notify your own insurance company that an accident did indeed take place. This will alter them to the damages of the vehicle and allow you to understand where your policy stands in the event the other driver doesn’t have sufficient insurance. Don’t expect your insurance company to take any initial actions as the other insurance company will typically deal with the after-accident steps.
Notify The Other Driver’s Insurance Company Of The Accident
We want to first state that there is a big difference between notifying the other driver’s insurance provider that the accident took place and giving them a recorded statement about the accident. You simply want to call the other driver’s insurance provider and tell them you were involved in an accident with their insurer. You will need to answer basic questions, including where the accident took place, the time it happened, and provide them with your contact information.
The other insurance company will then contact their insurer if the insurer didn’t notify them of the accident. This is to simply verify the accident did occur. Once the other insurance company speaks to their client, they will make a decision about whether they are at fault or not for the accident based on what they were presented with.
In the event the other insurance company determines 100 percent fault on their client, they will take care of setting up the details of fixing your car or making payment for the vehicle and associated expenses. If the other insurance company determines their client is not 100 percent at fault for the accident, it’s time for your personal injury attorney to take over. You shouldn’t speak to the insurance company past this point.
Why Should I Be Careful Talking To The Insurance Company?
You should realize that insurance companies are businesses just like the other ones you find in town. Their sole purpose is to make money. Before an insurance company is going to pay out for a claim, they’re going to want to ensure that their insurer is absolutely liable for the accident. If there are any reasons that you give the other insurance company, even by accident, about why you may be partially liable for the accident, they can and will use that information against you when deciding on liability.
Be Careful Of Low-Ball Settlements
In the event the insurance company finds their client liable for the accident, they will typically give you a low-ball settlement amount. If you incurred a large number of medical bills, lost income, and other accident-related expenses, it’s likely you are going to be more willing to settle as your finances dwindle down.
The insurance company knows that those who are hard pressed for money will likely settle for a smaller amount of money than they are actually entitled to. Don’t fall for this trick. Your attorney should be able to help you recover medical and lost wage costs from your own insurance company while you wait for the settlement that you deserve.
If you are just been injured, it’s very hard to know all the associated costs involved with your injury. In fact, until you are properly treated, you won’t know how long you will be out of work, what medical costs are associated with future treatments, and so on. You should wait until you have an actual figure of how much all your injury-related expenses are before even thinking about settling with the insurance company.
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