When a car accident strikes, it strikes with no forewarning. Not only does it happen in the blink of an eye, but in many cases, there can be absolutely no way to avoid the oncoming collision.
Resuming everyday life after a scary car accident can be significantly difficult. Common feelings of shock, nervousness, worry or fear accompany many individuals after a sudden crash. When moving forward with your life, it’s important to get the compensation you deserve to adjust back to your everyday living with ease.
Below, we discuss how to make a car accident claim and get compensation for a happier, more financially stable you.
Get information and evidence
Though you may have heard this countless times, it’s one of the most essential parts of filing an accident claim. After ensuring that everyone involved in the accident is okay, you should proceed to retrieve the other driver’s insurance information. This will include their name, phone number, and personal address. Also, write down their license plate number and confirm that the address they provide is the address listed on their driver’s license.
After sudden accidents, emotions are at an all-time high. Refrain from admitting fault at the scene. Some drivers may be cooperative but other drivers may be difficult. It’s important to tread with caution and say as little as possible until law enforcement arrives.
Document the accident
With your smartphone device or camera if possible, take several pictures of the accident. Documenting the accident with photos will protect your claim. In the instance that your claim goes to court, these photos will serve as evidence to your story.
To gain a better idea of just how to take photos of the accident, take pictures of the following elements:
- Each corner of every vehicle involved
- The exact location of every vehicle involved
- The license plate of all vehicles involved
- Any interior damage to any vehicles involved
- Any markings or debris created by the accident
In many cases, the aftershock of an accident can alter a clear recollection of events as they happened. After ensuring all parties involved in the accident are not harmed, make sure to document the following as well:
- The direction each car was headed
- The speed each car was traveling (if possible)
- The present road and weather conditions
- If there were any possible distractions
- How each partied the accident after it occurred
- If there are any witnesses. If so, document their contact information to support your case.
File a claim with your insurance company
Working with your insurance company can be difficult, but it is necessary. After you’ve cooled down from your accident, you should immediately call them to start the insurance claims process. Your insurance agent should walk you through, giving you as much detail and advise as to how to gain the compensation you’ve sought. If you have good car insurance coverage, you should be able to use a rental car while your insurance company assesses the damages.
After the claims adjuster has calculated your repair costs are and whether or not to declare a vehicle a total loss, you should retrieve your estimation as well. Kelly Blue Book is a very helpful resource to use for this.
If you aren’t happy with the quote the adjuster provided to your insurance company, it may be wise to seek legal assistance.
The legal assistance you need
Handling your car accident claim and get compensation can be confusing and downright daunting. If you’ve experienced personal injuries after your accident that make it difficult to readjust to your everyday work life and personal life, you should proceed with hiring a personal injury attorney to handle your case.
It all begins with a free consultation. Contact Attorney Dan Zohar if you have questions on how to proceed: (800) 963-3311.