In the United States, there are about 6 million car accidents every single year. This leads to more than 3 million injuries, deaths, and more. When you are injured in a car accident, it can be detrimental to your health and your finances.
While you can file an accident claim with your lawyer, there are many common mistakes that may hurt your chance of getting compensated fairly. To get the best results from your auto accident claim process, you must learn what these mistakes are so you can avoid them.
Do you want to learn more about how to file a car accident lawsuit? Keep reading these top 8 mistakes you must avoid.
Common Car Accident Claim Filing Mistakes to Avoid
1. Filing Too Late
Filing your accident claim too late is one of the biggest mistakes that you can make. Often, there is a claim filing deadline for your personal injury lawsuit. If this deadline passes, your case will most likely get dismissed.
You generally have several months to file your car accident claim, but it is best to file your claim as soon as possible.
This will make it easier to gather evidence and build your case before things change.
2. Not Getting Medical Attention
Next, you need to get immediate medical attention after you have been involved in a car accident. Even if you think your injuries are not serious, you must meet with a doctor. Otherwise, it may make it impossible to get a fair settlement.
An insurance company may claim that your injuries weren’t serious if you didn’t get immediate medical care. They can also claim that you were injured by something else, not the car accident.
It is also important to visit a doctor because your car accident injuries can worsen over time. To prevent any serious medical issues, it is best to get an assessment immediately after you leave the scene of the accident.
3. Not Reporting to the Authorities
When you are in a car accident, you need to report this accident to the authorities. If you don’t, it may be a violation of your policy and can prevent you from getting compensated for your injuries and damages.
Plus, you may be able to use a police report as evidence for your car accident claim. It will offer official documentation of the crash, so your insurance company will not try to dispute your claim.
4. Accepting the First Offer
You should also never accept the first offer that you are offered by the other party’s insurance. Often, insurers will try to settle the claim as quickly as possible while paying the least amount.
However, this initial offer may not be enough to cover other expenses, like your future medical expenses and even wages that you lost by not being able to go to work.
Instead, you should consult with your personal injury attorney to see how much money you deserve.
5. Having Too Little Evidence
To increase your chances of winning your settlement, you need to have enough evidence for your car accident. One way that you can do this is by documenting the scene after the car accident. This can help you prove how the crash occurred and show that you were not at fault.
You also should gather the names and insurance information for anyone else that was involved in the crash.
Having too little claim evidence may make it difficult for your attorney to put together a case, so you should write down everything that you can remember about your accident.
6. Admitting Fault
Something else you must avoid when you are filing an auto accident claim is admitting that it was your fault. Even if you are completely sure that the accident was your fault, you should never claim responsibility.
This is because it will make you and your insurance company liable for any accidents or damage that you caused. It will make it harder for your insurance company to defend your claim.
Often, people will apologize after a car accident, even if they didn’t cause it. Saying something as simple as “I’m sorry” may prevent you from getting fairly compensated.
7. Paying Out of Pocket
It is also important that you never pay someone out of pocket after an accident. If you were the one that caused the accident, you may want to pay other parties to avoid filing an insurance claim.
However, this can be dangerous. First, the other party may have minor injuries that could develop into something worse in the future. In this case, they may come after you for more money.
Paying out of pocket may also lead to you getting scammed. Instead, wait until you talk with your insurance agent before paying anything.
8. Representing Yourself
Finally, you should not represent yourself when you are going through a car accident claim. Hiring a car accident claim lawyer will help you complete the auto accident claim process correctly and can help you avoid each of these mistakes.
Your attorney will also help you communicate with your insurance agent, find evidence, and get compensated fairly.
Most attorneys will provide you with a free consultation for your case, so you can always meet with a car accident lawyer before hiring them.
Need Help With an Accident Claim?
When you are involved in a car accident, you must act carefully to get compensated. There are many mistakes that may prevent you from getting reimbursed for your injuries and damages. By avoiding these mistakes, you will be more likely to have a favorable outcome.
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