Dealing with Insurance Companies After an Accident

If you’ve been injured in an accident, the last thing you want to do is spend your time fighting with the insurance company about what and how much they will cover. You can avoid a lot of hassles by choosing an experienced personal injury attorney to be on your team and by organizing your claim with a few simple steps.

Minimize Stress

Recovering from serious injuries requires a lot of energy and positive thinking. A big battle with the insurance company will not help at all. Here are some tips that can make that side of things go a little smoother:

• Document, document, document! If you can, take photos and get as much information as possible from witnesses. Then keep track of the police report, every bill, every lost minute of work and associated wages, property damage estimates, and all of the ways in which the accident has interfered with your life and livelihood.
• Quickly report the accident to your insurance company. Share accurate and relevant facts related to the incident, but never, ever indicate even a possibility that you may be at fault in some way. Don’t speculate about fault at all, in fact, or about the severity of your injuries or the long-term care you may need. If you’re dealing with a negligent or reckless driver, you will be dealing with their insurance company, so it’s especially important to be mindful of what you say.
• Be prepared for a lowball offer– and understand your policy and your situation well enough to be able to advocate for yourself. Your attorney will be a big help here because they will know what’s fair and reasonable under the circumstances. It’s probably not a good idea to engage in any negotiations without your attorney present because it’s possible you could accidentally hurt your standing by saying something you shouldn’t without realizing it may be damaging.
• Be strategic in negotiations, take your time, and don’t feel pressured to take an offer that doesn’t seem right.
• Be cognizant of deadlines and the statute of limitations for filing claims and/or sending in responses to the insurance company.
• Never sign anything until you’ve carefully reviewed it and your legal counsel has assured you that your rights have been protected. The last thing you want to do is waive your rights or settle for less than you deserve.

Helping You Through

The dedicated and experienced Kissimmee and Orlando personal injury attorneys at Salazar & Kelly Law Group understand how confusing and frustrating insurance companies can be. Be we won’t let them intimidate you into submission. Let us help you get a fair deal! To discuss, schedule a confidential consultation in our office today

Source:

forbes.com/advisor/legal/auto-accident/what-do-after-car-accident-not-your-fault/