Your actions after a car accident are crucial to building a legal case for compensation and holding the negligent party responsible for their actions. However, these goals can only be achieved when you file reports with the appropriate authorities and document the incident as thoroughly as possible. This means that one of the necessary steps you must take in resolving the consequences of a car accident is to file a claim with your auto insurance company. Thanks to the insurance law experts at Ellis Injury Law, here’s what you need to know about filing a claim with your auto insurance provider.
What to Know When Filing a Claim with Your Insurer
The first thing you must keep in mind when filing a claim with your insurance provider after a collision is to avoid the admission of guilt or fault. This applies whether you were the victim or at fault (even partially so). Any speculation of liability should be saved for discussions with your lawyer. You do not want to incriminate yourself simply because you wrongly assumed your actions contributed to the crash.
If you were to admit guilt to your insurance company, this information is almost guaranteed to be used against you during the claims process. Any implication of fault may ultimately result in your disqualification for compensation. Losing eligiblility for compensation means that you would end up having to pay for all medical expenses and repairs on your own. (Note: If you were indeed responsible for the collision, weigh the pros and cons of paying a premium for the incident versus covering the damages out of pocket. If the repairs will be expensive to cover, it is best to report the incident to your insurance company. If not, you may just have to bite the bullet and pay the necessary fees.)
Victims of automobile collisions must be sure to document all evidence on the scene that highlights the damages incurred as well as environmental conditions and other factors that contributed to the incident. Every bit of information you record, along with a police report of the crash, will be used to file a detailed claim with your insurer. All this information will paint a clear picture of the events before and during the incident, representing the case as accurately and objectively as possible.
Seek Legal Help When Filing an Insurance Claim
Even when you’ve done all you can to file a claim that is full of objective, supporting evidence, there is no guarantee that your insurer will interpret the documentation as intended. They may still find factors here and there that seemingly point to your partial responsibility in the crash. So, you must get a lawyer to protect you from such accusations.
An experienced car accident lawyer will ensure that you are represented impartially as you seek compensation following the collision. They will further investigate your case to find evidence that may not have been readily available to you, such as footage from nearby security cameras. With a knowledgeable car accident lawyer fighting for you, you can rest assured that your claim will be handled with fairness. You will soon experience a full recovery from all injuries and damages when you decide to let a lawyer lead your case.
Kidal Delonix is a contributor to Mr. Hoffman's blog. The views and opinions are entirely his/her own and may not reflect Mr Hoffman's views.
