A car crash can be catastrophic since it can lead to serious injuries, unexpected medical expenses, and financial loss. If you are involved in an accident you believe is caused by another party, you are entitled to get compensation. However, you should know your legal rights to get the settlement you deserve. Read on to learn the legal tips to help you handle a health-damaging car accident.
Seek Legal Treatment
You must seek medical treatment soon after the accident to mitigate pain and start your recovery journey. You have a legal right to choose a doctor to attend to your injuries. Your doctor will write a medical report after diagnosing your condition. This report is used by insurance companies to determine the compensation you should get. Your claim can be disputed if you fail to seek medical treatment on time. It is vital to follow the instructions provided by your physician to recover quickly.
Report the Accident
Once you are involved in a car accident, be sure to report it to the police. Law enforcement will attend the accident scene and conduct their investigations to determine the cause of the crash. They will compile a police report after assessing the damaged vehicles and investigating the witnesses. This report is also used by insurance companies to determine your compensation.
Make sure you cooperate with law enforcement and provide a true statement of what you remember about the accident. However, a car crash can be overwhelming, and you may not remember everything, or you may panic and end up saying different things. To avoid this, you should know that you have a legal right to remain silent. You can refer all questions to your lawyer if you manage to call them soon after the accident.
Seek Legal Advice
Dealing with compensation issues while recovering from your injuries can be stressful. You must enlist the services of a professional accident lawyer to handle your case. Discussing the car crash with your attorney helps you understand your rights and the options you have to pursue your case.
Lawyers have experience in dealing with similar cases. Lately, with the emergence of Tesla cars and their autopilot feature, lawyers prepared themselves for new kinds of accidents. According to the accident statistics for Tesla autopilot, motorists should know the legal remedies available if they are involved in crashes with autonomous vehicles. Accident attorneys know the existing statutes and regulations involving autonomous vehicles. You can get peace of mind and time to recover if a professional accident lawyer handles your case. Additionally, lawyers also know how to negotiate with insurance companies to ensure you get a fair settlement.
Document the Car Accident
Make sure you gather all the necessary evidence you can use to support your compensation claim, or else you lose your legal right to settlement if you fail to prove liability. It is vital to prove that the other driver is liable for causing your injuries. You can achieve this by taking photos of your injuries and the vehicles involved in the accident while still at the crash site. You also need to exchange contact details and other relevant information with the other driver.
With video and pictorial evidence, you can prove that the other driver had a duty to provide reasonable care to other motorists, but they failed to observe it. You also need to show that the other driver’s actions led to your injuries and financial loss. Make sure you have your police report, medical report, receipts for medical bills, and other expenses related to your injuries.
File a Compensation Claim
Once you have collected all the supporting evidence to prove liability in a car accident, you can file a compensation claim. All you need to do is to send a letter of demand to the insurance company representing the defendant. If they don’t have insurance, then you can direct the claim to the driver responsible for causing the accident. You state the reasons for the claim and the amount you expect to get as settlement for your injuries.
Most accident cases are settled out of court, especially if you have enough evidence to prove liability. However, you need to be careful when dealing with insurance companies since they are concerned about protecting their business interests. Therefore, you must not accept the first offer. Instead, leave your attorney to handle the negotiations with the insurance company. If you’re not satisfied with the reward offered, you have a right to file a lawsuit, and your case goes to trial. However, you should know the statute of limitations.
A car crash can be life-changing because it can cause permanent injuries. You may never be able to function in a normal way after a serious road accident. Therefore, you should get the appropriate settlement for your injuries. You can achieve this by following these tips, but remember to consult a lawyer.