When you are the victim of a careless driver, you may be relieved to find out that the other guy does have auto insurance. While insurance will pay for your medical expenses and get your car replaced or repaired, you are actually entitled to so much more. You have suffered damages from this accident, and you want to ensure that you get compensated for your lost wages and your pain and suffering. Many accident victims don't realize that they can play a huge role in the amount of compensation that they could get. Read on to more about how your actions could influence the amount of your money damage award.
Seek professional advice: Trying to deal with the complexities of a car wreck claim without any help while recovering from injuries is an exercise in futility. Knowing what you can get for your damages can be somewhat complicated, so getting a personal injury attorney on your case at once is a smart move to make. Doing this one thing could make the difference in just getting a paltry sum and getting what you deserve, so make it a top priority.
Never give a recorded statement: Regardless of what you might be told on the phone by the at-fault drivers' insurance adjuster, you are not required to give them a recorded statement. They may offer to cut you what sounds like a nice check once you agree, but the chances are very high that the amount is inadequate and that you could end up accidentally damaging your claim by saying something you did not mean to say. While speaking with your own insurance adjuster may be a requirement of coverage, speak to your attorney before doing even that.
Understand the basics of negotiation: Negotiating a personal injury settlement is not for rookies, but is can be helpful for you to understand the bare bones of the process. Stand back and watch your attorney do the back and forth with nerves of steel and with an eye on the coveted bottom line of the settlement you are demanding.
In most cases, the insurance carrier will offer a initial amount, which is often called a "low ball" offer, just to test your desperation. Your attorney should counter with an amount that is somewhat higher than your bottom line amount. This goes back and forth, along with the trading of facts about the case that could influence matters in one way or another. For example, if you were partially at fault and it can be proven, you may need to lower your expectations.
The worst that could happen is that you proceed to trial, where you will be able to prove that you deserve more as a result of your accident. Speak to a personal injury attorney to find out more.
