After getting into a major car accident, a person is usually too overwhelmed to keep track of all the documents and go through all the details to get the compensation they deserve. They’re usually glad to be alive and just want to get past the situation as fast as possible; they neglect the need to hire a lawyer or talk to the insurance company right away thinking it could complicate the situation and make it consume more time.
When, in fact, calling your lawyer and informing your insurance company as well as talking to their investigators are the first two steps you should take after a car accident. Understanding that experienced insurance professionals and lawyers know how to find holes in your story to make sure they pay the least possible amount for the damages caused is crucial. Therefore, if you were involved in a car accident that has caused you and your family physical and emotional damages and distress, here’s how to make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
File the Claim Before it’s Too Late
To claim compensation after a car crash, you need to complete an application for personal injury. This application has to be completed within a specific number of days from the car crash depending on your state. You can file a personal injury claim at any time within two years. In some states like Hawaii, however, you will not be getting compensated for your injury and car repairs until after you file the claim and win, which takes some time. You just have to make sure you submit the claim within the time frame required, otherwise you will not be able to get any compensation at all.
Make Sure You Have the Right Documents
Filing a claim is not very hard and it doesn’t necessarily need a lawyer’s assistance for you to file a personal injury claim. However, they’re tricky because if you fail to submit the right documents or enough evidence to prove your harm without being at fault, your claim may not be taken into consideration. As mentioned above, the opposing party will always find loopholes to pay less for the damages caused.
Once you have submitted the event’s police number, medical certificates, and treatment plans and expenses, you have to make sure to keep all the receipts and bank statements that back this information up so you can be able to get the compensation you deserve.
Understand Your Rights
You need to be realistic about what to expect as compensation after filing a personal injury claim. Because sometimes you’re entitled to compensation even if the accident was partly your fault too. Remember, anyone who suffers an injury is entitled to having their medical expenses and get compensated for the income they lost because of these damages. Personal injury professionals and lawyers at www.recoverylawcenterhawaii.com urge any person who suffered an injury after a car crash to hire a lawyer that is willing to carefully listen, analyze, and offer assistance by always being by your side, willing to answer questions, make errands, and fight to get you the compensation you’re entitled to.
You’re not entitled to compensation only if you are charged with a serious driving offense. In this case, your chances of winning the claim are not guaranteed depending on the case and the evidence available.
Make Sure You’re Eligible
You can file a claim if the accident causes you pain, suffering from the loss of a loved-one or reduced quality of life in case the accident caused a disability. You can also file a personal injury claim if you suffered financial losses that were caused because of your injury and the car accident. Finally, you can be compensated if you lost your job or had to make extra payments because of your injury.
Make sure that you hire a professional personal injury lawyer that can handle your case and guarantee to get you the compensation you deserve. But before hiring an attorney you have to ask them how much money they’re willing to take to represent you and work on your case. They also have to tell you how good your chances are, because if the case is too complicated or in case the accident was only partially their fault then your claim might not be even worth it.
Don’t just hire the first lawyer you find on the internet, make sure your lawyer is someone you can trust and can communicate with clearly. Lawyers can be manipulative and very expensive so make sure you understand all the details very clearly. Getting the compensation you deserve is way better than letting a car accident affect your life for years to come.