How to Make Sure that Negligent Drivers Compensate the Injured
By Space Coast Daily // October 10, 2020
Accidents are unavoidable. But what happens if you get hit by a negligent driver? Any accident that has been caused by a negligent driver requires compensation. This compensation has to be guided by law and mostly covers the injuries sustained and property damage.
This injury claim often comes after the car accident claim and mainly through a lawsuit. You will need your lawyer at standby. To get compensated, you need to have the right documentation, be patient, and have persistence. Here is what you should do after the accident.
1. Document the Accident Scene
Most negligent drivers tend to interfere with the accident scene after knowing they are on the wrong. Before they do that, you need to document everything concerning the accident. It would help if you remembered that everything you register would be used in a court of law as evidence.
So what proof is required? First, you need to talk to witnesses and record their accounts. Ensure you get their contacts, which are necessary for future use. Another way of documenting the scene is by capturing pictures of the accident scene. Nowadays, most people have smartphones that can take photos anywhere, anytime. Use your phone camera and take as many pictures as possible of the accident scene. You can also use it to record the witnesses’ accounts.
2. Call the Police
You also need to call the police and write a report concerning the accident before leaving the accident scene. Please do not fall into the driver’s trap since they may want to settle the matter without involving the police. Ensure the law enforcers take all details and, if possible, record their findings since your accident lawyer will require them.
According to car accident lawyers in Houston, a police report is critical, especially to insurance companies before they settle a claim and also when you are filing for a claim. Never be the nice guy here. Let the police document everything, including the scene, and report on how the accident happened.
3. Seek Medical Attention
If the injuries are critical, it will help if you rushed to the hospital without wasting much time. Your life matters more than anything else. However, if the injuries weren’t as much, you can undertake the above procedures before heading for a health checkup. Remember to keep all the medical bills, doctors’ reports, treatment records, and any other item you will want to include in your compensation claim.
Your lawyer will guide you on this. The doctors’ statements are needed to file for compensation. You have to make sure that the correct report and medication appears on the doctor’s comments before leaving the hospital.
Having incorrect descriptions may make you lose the compensation case or get jailed for altering the information. The medical report should also show the number of days you spent in the hospital, if any, and the number of leave days granted by the doctor.
4. Get Estimates for Repairs and Damages
After getting treated for injuries, you should check on the damaged property and get estimates for repairs before following up with compensation. If it’s a house or a vehicle, ensure the assessments are written correctly with the current market price, since the insurer will also do an independent estimate. Write whatever is for repair and the costs before presenting it to the insurance company. If such becomes a challenge, you must consider having your lawyer do all the processes.
5. Get Patient, Professional, and Persistent
After submitting all of the above, you need to get patient and leave the insurance company and attorney to do their job. These people always deal with hundreds of cases, and they will contact you when needed. Dealing with any insurance company requires patience and persistence since sometimes, they take longer depending on the complexity of the matter and cases at hand.
It would help if you take the back seat and leave all the issues to your attorney to follow up. However, being patient doesn’t mean you should be quiet. You can follow up using phone calls, emails, and maybe some visits to your lawyer. Keep all things professional, and with time, you will get the full compensation.
If you feel that the insurance company is failing to offer payments or taking too long, you should stand up and get an attorney who knows their job. Do not worry about charges since they will take their cut after compensation.
Attorneys have the experience in handling these cases, and they know how to apply pressure to ensure your compensation gets paid in time. We hope this will help you in case such an unfortunate event happens to you.
